Category Archives: regulation

It may have been a short work week because of the holidays, but regulators still found the time to add nearly 2,000 pages to the Federal Register. With two work days to go in 2013, it stands just 280 pages, or one average day, short of last year’s hefty total of 78,961 pages.

On to the data:

• Last week, 74 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 71 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 16 minutes.
• All in all, 3,619 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,648 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,953 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 78,681 pages. This year’s Federal Register is already the 5^th largest in its 78-year history.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 79,313 pages, which would be good for fourth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. No such rules were published last week, leaving the total at 40 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.83 billion.
• So far, 325 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 709 final rules affect small business; 103 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• The Small Business Administration’s job is to give preferential treatment to some types of businesses over others. It recently revised its criteria for giving such treatment to construction companies and utilities.
• During a busy travel week, the FAA published 14 new regulations. You can see them all here.
• The federal government maintains a shrimp electronic logbook.
• Possibly in an effort to improve avian survival rates, the Fish and Wildlife Service requires waterfowl hunters to use non-toxic ammunition.
• If you grow walnuts in California, the Agricultural Marketing Service is raising its assessment rate on your crop.
• The federal government has a Softwood Lumber Board. If you would like to join it, here are the membership requirements.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

The last week before the holidays was a week like any other, with new rules covering everything from charitable donations to video programming for the blind.

On to the data:

• Last week, 71 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 56 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 22 minutes.
• All in all, 3,545 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,617 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,296 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 76,728 pages. This year’s Federal Register is already the 5^th largest in its 78-year history.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 78,294 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. No such rules were published last week, leaving the total at 40 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.83 billion.
• So far, 317 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 693 final rules affect small business; 98 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• The Federal Reserve issued a rule revising a another rule on capital requirements for banks as part of the implementation of the Basel III standards.
• The Federal Trade Commission now regulates children’s online privacy.
• The Fish and Wildlife Service affirmed the threated status of Umtanum Desert buckwheat and White Bluffs bladderpod, and designated a combined 2,377 acres of critical habitat for them. If that land is privately owned, this may qualify as a regulatory taking.
• The Franciscan Manzanita is also the unwitting recipient of 230.2 acres of critical habitat. The same caveat applies.
• The FCC issued a rule on video programming for the blind.
• Federal credit unions are now allowed to create charitable donation accounts for their customers.
• A new rule from NASA is titled “Removal of Redundant Regulations.” Other agencies should do similar regulatory housekeeping.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

The local equivalent of winter weather closed down the federal government last Tuesday, but that day’s Federal Register was still an impressive 1,221 pages, easily one of the year’s largest.

On to the data:

• Last week, 56 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 95 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours.
• All in all, 3,474 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,619 new final rules.
• Last week, 2,339 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 75,432 pages. This year’s Federal Register is already the 7^th largest in its 78-year history.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 78,575 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. Three such rules were published last week, for a total of 40 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.83 billion.
• So far, 315 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 683 final rules affect small business; 98 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• Two of this week’s economically significant rules (1, 2) are from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Both rules affect spending and not compliance costs, so I am scoring them as zero-cost in our running compliance cost tally. The second rule’s cost estimate in particular stands out for its opacity.
• The third economically significant rule also involves health care, but it comes from the Defense Department. It also affects spending but not compliance costs, so I am scoring it as zero-cost. It estimates savings to the DoD of $120 million, plus $28 million in reduced copayments.
• Some time ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established speed limits for larger ships to prevent collisions with North Atlantic right whales. The rule came with a sunset, meaning it would automatically expire after a certain amount of time. On Monday, the NOAA removed the sunset, making the rule permanent.
• New safety standards for infant bath seats, toddler beds, and full-size baby cribs.
• The Fish and Wildlife Service issues eagle permits.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

Regulators took advantage of the full-length work week by publishing nearly 100 regulations, running the gamut from mad cow disease to falconry federalism.

On to the data:

• Last week, 95 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 77 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every one hour and 46 minutes.
• All in all, 3,418 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,636 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,699 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 73,093 pages. This year’s Federal Register is already the 11^th largest in its 78-year history.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 77,759 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. One such rule was published last week, for a total of 37 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.83 billion.
• So far, 305 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 672 final rules affect small business; 91 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• This week’s economically significant rule will lower the government’s Medicare payments by an estimated $200 million. Since this affects government spending and not compliance costs, I am scoring this rule as zero-cost in our running compliance cost tally.
• New safety standards for hand-held infant carriers. Somewhere, a trial lawyer is salivating.
• Two new regulations for fishers of Pacific cod.
• The IRS is changing its tax treatment of certain types of dividends for certain types of people.
• You may now ride a bicycle at the redundantly named New River Gorge National River, provided you stick to the trails.
• In a nice little bit of corporate welfare for the green products industry, the Rural Utilities Service offers financial assistance to people meeting certain qualifications if they purchase approved energy-efficient products.
• Falconry federalism.
• The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is harmonizing its mad cow disease regulations with the World Organization for Animal Health’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
• The FAA issued a regulation for NASA astronauts.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

Like most of the country, the federal government shut down for Thanksgiving. Despite the short work week, agencies still produced a roughly average number of regulations, while the Federal Register emphatically broke the 70,000-page barrier. There were an impressive 18 new regulations that affect small businesses; perhaps small business owners should be thankful it wasn’t an even worse week.

On to the data:

• Last week, 77 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 60 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 11 minutes.
• All in all, 3,323 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,612 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,794 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 71,394 pages.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 77,516 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. One such rule was published last week, for a total of 36 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.83 billion.
• So far, 297 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 650 final rules affect small business; 88 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• This week’s economically significant regulation comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA. New crash protection standards will bring an estimated $21.8 to $158.6 million in benefits. This wide, yet precise range reminds of the late William Niskanen’s observation that numbers to the right of the decimal point exist mostly to prove that economists have a sense of humor. NHTSA also estimates the new standards will cost $6.4 to $7.0 million.
• Satellite carriers pay a royalty fee for their secondary transmissions. As of January 1, 2014, that rate will undergo a cost-of-living increase of one percent.
• If you want to fish for red porgy for a profit, make sure you read this new regulation.
• Catchiest title of the week: Octadecanoic Acid, 12-Hydroxy-, Homopolymer, Ester With 2-Methyloxirane Polymer With Oxirane Monobutyl Ether; Tolerance Exemption
• Second catchiest: Need for Agency Approval of a Railroad’s Use of Certain Technology That Has Been Previously Approved for Use by a Different Railroad

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

It was a light week on the regulatory front, but the Federal Register still added more than 1,200 pages. It will almost certainly pass the 70,000-page mark next week.

On to the data:

• Last week, 60 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 66 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every 2 hours and 48 minutes.
• All in all, 3,246 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,591 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,207 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 69,520 pages.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 76,903 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year.  No such rules were published last week, keeping the total at 35 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.82 billion.
• So far, 294 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 632 final rules affect small business; 87 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• The Agricultural Marketing Service is lowering the assessment rate it charges Irish potato growers in certain parts of Colorado.
• The FDA issued a new rule to prevent ciguatera fish poisoning.
• In Rock Island, Illinois, there is a drawbridge that crosses the Mississippi River. The federal government regulates when it goes up and down.
• Due to comments received from the public, the EPA is delaying for four weeks the designation of critical habitat for Umtanum desert buckwheat and White Bluffs bladderpod.
• The Jemez Mountains salamander, however, is getting 90,716 acres of critical habitat in New Mexico.
• If you are planning on importing beans from Jordan, read this regulation first.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

It was a short work week because of the Veterans Day holiday, but agencies still added nearly 1,700 pages to the 2013 Federal Register, which is on track to be the fifth-largest ever despite a two-week shutdown.

On to the data:

• Last week, 66 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 78 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every 2 hours and 33 minutes.
• All in all, 3,186 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,604 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,689 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 68,313 pages.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 77,278 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year.  No such rules were published last week, keeping the total at 35 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.82 billion.
• So far, 289 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 629 final rules affect small business; 86 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• The FAA had a busy week, issuing 26 final rules. See them all here.
• If two businesses want to merge, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act often requires them to get permission first from the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC issued a rule changing some of the Hart-Scott-Rodino procedures for pharmaceutical companies.
• The FDA formally approved spirulina extract for use as a safe food coloring additive. Spirulina extract is dried cyanobacteria. Bon apetit!
• If you’ve been longing to import ovine meat from Uruguay, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is giving you the go ahead to satisfy your craving. This rule could cause lamb to become slightly cheaper, depending on demand.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.

This week was about as normal as it ever gets on the regulatory front, with the number of new regulations and Federal Register pages well within their normal range.

On to the data:

• Last week, 78 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register. There were 92 new final rules the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every 2 hours and 9 minutes.
• All in all, 3,120 final rules have been published in the Federal Register this year.
• If this keeps up, the total tally for 2013 will be 3,594 new final rules.
• Last week, 1,419 new pages were added to the 2013 Federal Register, for a total of 66,624 pages.
• At its current pace, the 2013 Federal Register will run 76,756 pages, which would be good for fifth all time. The current record is 81,405 pages, set in 2010.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year.  No such rules were published last week, keeping the total at 35 so far in 2013.
• The total estimated compliance costs of this year’s economically significant regulations ranges from $6.42 billion to $11.82 billion.
• So far, 280 final rules that meet the broader definition of “significant” have been published in 2013.
• So far this year, 613 final rules affect small business; 83 of them are significant rules.

Highlights from selected final rules published last week:

• Federal employees who are D.C. residents are having some restrictions on their allowed political activities loosened, such as the ability to run for office as a political partisan.
• The federal government regulates the caps that appear on the end of toy guns.
• The federal government’s revised intrastate and interstate turtle requirements, which have previously appeared in this space, have been given an effective date of December 9, 2013.
• OSHA is issuing new standards for signs.
• New tire grading standards from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• In a bit of good news, the Steller seal lion has been delisted from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.