EPA Increases Transparency of Regulatory Development

EPA is making federal environmental regulation more transparent by providing on-line information as soon as the agency begins the development of a new rule.

Starting today, EPA is using Action Initiation Lists (AILs) to notify the public about new rules and other regulatory actions. AILs will be posted on the EPA Web site at roughly the end of each month; each will describe those actions that were approved for commencement during the given month. Formerly, the public had to wait for EPA’s Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, which is updated only every six months, to learn about new regulatory actions.

The AILs provide summaries, agency contacts, and other information about the rules EPA has approved for development. For example, the March 2008 AIL announces the agency’s plans to issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for greenhouse gases in late spring. This notice will solicit public input as EPA considers the specific effects of climate change and potential regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from stationary and mobile sources under the Clean Air Act. The March AIL also announces the agency’s plans to propose a rulemaking that builds on EPA’s existing renewable fuels standard program. The expansion of the program was mandated by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.

The February and March 2008 AILs are now available. EPA expects to release the April AIL around April 30.