EPA's Rulemaking Gateway

Trying to follow the process that is US regulations? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just launched a tool to make the process at least more understandable at one government agency. The Rulemaking Gateway provides an overview of the process and lets you see what is happening along each step of the way. You can read a description of the resource from the EPA, or follow my tour below.

• Phases The first tab lets you view the rules by phases, which is probably the way most of us want to look at rules. My favorite add-in here is the pre-proposal tool. In here you can see what the EPA is planning and why they are planning particular actions.
  
• Rules This is a link to the current proposal on the reconsideration of the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This particular rule has garnered a lot of discussion and lawsuits, which you can actually read about here on this page. The nice thing about this display is that is breaks out the major parts of the rule in a slightly less legal sounding way: Abstract, timeline, potential effects, participate, regulatory review, and citations and authorities.
  
• Topics and Effects In addition to sorting by phases you can also find all the rules, no matter what phase they are in by topic and effect.
  

Still want more information? Then check out the library's guides to regulations or environment.