The White House released its fall regulatory agenda on Oct. 17, which is estimated to cut regulatory costs by $18 million. According to the Water Environment Federation, the agenda lists all rules agencies are working on and what has been pushed back. The agenda is released every year in the spring and fall. There is no penalty for not meeting the listed dates.
According to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the agenda demonstrates the Administration’s ongoing commitment to fundamental regulatory reform and a reorientation toward reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on the American people. It also represents ongoing progress toward goals of more effective and less burdensome regulation.
The update reflects the regulatory reform priorities: advancing regulatory reform, public notice of regulatory development, transparency and consistent practice across the federal government, according to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Only two new rule makings were issued, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Regulations Update and Update to the Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act. They are both in the Proposed Rule Stage.
According to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is developing a proposal to revise its FOIA regulations in order to comply with the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, to reflect CEQ's business process, and to correct or remove obsolete information.
On Aug. 15, 2017, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 13807, titled "Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environment Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure,” according to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Section 5(e) of Executive Order 13807 directed the CEQ to develop an initial list of actions it will take to enhance and modernize the federal environmental review and authorization process.
According to the Bloomberg BNA, quite a few were pushed back including the “secret science” rule, Clean Air Permits program, Toxic Mercury Air Limits and the repeal of the Waters of the U.S. Rule.
