Category Archives: regulation

The best news of the week was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising that vaccinated people can safely go mask-free pretty much anywhere. Inflation is likely creeping upwards, due to monetary policy decisions and rapid spending increases. While it won’t return to Carter-era levels, an extra percentage point or two of inflation would slow down the COVID recovery. A hacked pipeline led to a gas shortage on the east coast and predictable calls for price gouging legislation. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from solar-powered airports to triangle pigtoe.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 60 final regulations last week, after 55 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 48 minutes.
• With 1,145 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,111 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 48 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 35 the previous week.
• With 798 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,168 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 408 notices last week, after 534 notices the previous week.
• With 8,131 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 22,095 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,933 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,458 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 289 pages.
• With 26,631 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 72,367 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 16 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the past week. This is on pace for 43 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 216 new rules affect small businesses. Five are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Wage rules for immigrants and non-immigrants in temporary and permanent jobs. Which is pretty much everyone?
• The National Endowment for the Humanities is making its guidance documents less transparent.
• So is the Government Ethics Office.
• Vaccine requirements for nursing homes.
• More rules for PM2.5 fine particulate matter.
• Rent-seeking alert: solar power requirements at airports.
• The Hall’s bulrush and the triangle pigtoe will not be classified as endangered species.
• COVID-related medical supply procurement.
• Air plan approvals for 11 states.
• Borrowing authority for raisins.
• Rural microentrepreneur assistance.
• Emergency financial aid for students.

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

The Facebook Oversight Board conditionally upheld former President Trump’s Facebook ban. Many Republican responses showed that they either do not understand the First Amendment or do not like its opening words, “Congress shall make no law.” Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from promoting concrete masonry to wood furniture emissions.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 55 final regulations last week, after 60 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and three minutes.
• With 1,085 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,118 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 35 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 28 the previous week.
• With 750 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,155 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 534 notices last week, after 437 notices the previous week.
• With 7,723 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 22,193 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,458 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 1,318 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 284 pages.
• With 24,695 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,963 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 16 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the last week. This is on pace for 46 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 207 new rules affect small businesses. Five are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• The Biden administration removed a recent Trump administration rule on when to treat gig workers as independent contractors or as formal employees.
• Regulations for payments to pathologists who perform autopsies on miners.
• Marine mammal casualties in naval exercises.
• A tax on tax-exempt organizations’ executive pay.
• Three salamander species will not be added to the Endangered Species List.
• Four more fentanyl-related substances are now Schedule I controlled substances.
• Hearing-aid compatible handsets.
• REAL ID regulations are being delayed until May 3, 2023. REAL ID should be repealed altogether.
• Tarmac delays.
• Concrete masonry research, education, and promotion. Does this count as infrastructure?
• Travel restrictions on people returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This related to an Ebola outbreak. Fortunately, these tend to dissipate quickly.
• Joint replacement payments under Medicare.
• New product classifications for washers and dryers.
• New standards for VA clinical labs.
• Wood furniture emissions.

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

The economy bounced back in a big way, according to numbers released on Thursday. Things are not quite back where they were, but the trend is clear. As the virus retreats, the economy advances. This renders moot most of the plans President Biden outlined in his joint address to Congress on Wednesday. New regulations on the year also passed the 1,000 mark last week. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from underwater cables to tipping.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 60 final regulations last week, after 65 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 48 minutes.
• With 1,030 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,140 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 28 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 47 the previous week.
• With 715 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,180 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 437 notices last week, after 507 notices the previous week.
• With 7,189 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,918 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,318 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 1,664 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 284 pages.
• With 23,235 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,838 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020 and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 15 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with none in the last week. This is on pace for 46 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 199 new rules affect small businesses. Four are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Forage seeding crop insurance regulations.
• New tipping regulations have been delayed.
• Water infrastructure credit assistance.
• A federal plan to revitalize AM radio.
• Reporting network outages.
• Tax treatment of commuting expenses.
• Somalia sanctions.
• Underwater cables.
• 20,326 acres of critical habitat for the northern Mexican gartersnake.
• The Yangtze sturgeon is now an endangered species.
• 10 fentanyl-related substances are now in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule I list of controlled substances.
• The Rural Energy for America Program.
• Social Security fraud.
• Mines in Kentucky.
• Quality endorsements for northern potato crop insurance.
• The Railroad Retirement Board is making its guidance documents less transparent.
• The northern spotted owl’s new critical habitat designation has been delayed.

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

The big news of the week was the guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin murder trial. Senate Republicans continued their longtime strategy of bargaining with themselves by proposing $568 billion in infrastructure spending. This would leave Democrats free to use the reconciliation process on the remaining $1.4 trillion or so from their spending proposal without worrying about sacrificing any of the GOP bill’s projects in negotiations. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from parachutes to halibut sharing.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 65 final regulations last week, after 22 the previous week.
• That is the equivalent of a new regulation every two hours and 35 minutes.
• With 970 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,142 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,149 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 47 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 39 the previous week.
• With 687 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,231 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 507 notices last week, after 350 notices the previous week.
• With 6,752 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,922 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,664 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,122 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 285 pages.
• With 21,915 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 71,153 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 15 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with one in the last week. This is on pace for 48 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 190 new rules affect small businesses. Four are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• COVID-related debt collection.
• Airworthiness requirements for Uninsured United Parachute Technologies.
• Continuing travel restrictions for ferries going to and from Mexico and Canada.
• Emergency waivers for midshipmen’s academic requirements.
• 5G-related spending in rural areas.
• Next Generation broadcast television.
• Project review fees for fracking projects.
• The Social Security Administration and USAID are making their guidance documents less transparent.
• Blessing of the Fleet in Tiburon, CA.
• Halibut sharing.
• 298,845 acres of critical habitat for a population segment of yellow-billed cuckoos.
• 59,411 square nautical miles of critical habitat for population segments of humpback whales.
• Exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields.
• Standards of conduct for applying to the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.
• Medical device classification.
• Samidorphan, a type of opioid antagonist, is no longer a controlled substance.
• A correction to the tax treatment of commuting expenses.
• Fire detection system enforcement.
• Alien physicians.
• Mailing e-cigarettes.

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

Congress played a round of good idea-bad idea last week. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) introduced a bill for a regulatory budget, similar to the spending budget Congress is supposed to authorize each year, while Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced antitrust legislation to overturn the notion of innocent until proven guilty for companies he doesn’t like. The 2021 Federal Register surpassed 20,000 pages, and is on pace for just more than 70,000 pages. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from helicopters to bankruptcy.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 22 final regulations last week, after 52 the previous week.
• That is the equivalent of a new regulation every seven hours and 38 minutes.
• With 905 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,142 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,327 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 39 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 29 the previous week.
• With 640 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,222 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 350 notices last week, after 309 notices the previous week.
• With 6,245 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,684 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,122 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 1,205 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 281 pages.
• With 20,248 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,306 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020 and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 14 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with one in the past week. This is on pace for 49 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 173 new rules affect small businesses. Four are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• A correction to implementation rules for the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
• The Interior Department is making its guidance document policies less transparent to the public.
• So is the Council on Environmental Quality, which is not exactly a bastion of transparency to begin with.
• Sikorsky helicopters.
• Bankruptcy regulations.
• COVID-19 telehealth regulations from the Federal Communications Commission.

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

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen floated the idea of a global minimum corporate tax and Amazon workers in Alabama voted against unionizing. The Biden administration on Friday released a $1.52 trillion spending proposal, separate from the $2 trillion infrastructure bill that is still under construction. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from subsistence fishing to robocalls.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 52 final regulations last week, after 48 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 14 minutes.
• With 876 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,269 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,327 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 29 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 62 the previous week.
• With 591 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,205 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 309 notices last week, after 422 notices the previous week.
• With 5,738 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,657 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 1,205 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 984 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 282 pages.
• With 18,881 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,451 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 14 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with one in the last week. This is on pace for 52 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 163 new rules affect small businesses. Four are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Supervisory guidance from the Federal Reserve.
• Securitization safe harbor.
• Implementation rules for the USMCA trade agreement.
• The yellow lance, a freshwater mussel species, is receiving 319 river miles of critical habitat.
• 368 stream miles of critical habitat for the candy darter, a fish species in Virginia and West Virginia that typically grows to three inches in size.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is rescinding some of its mortgage reporting requirements.
• And some land sales.
• And some accounting rules under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• And three more CFPB rules, here, here, and here.
• Employment and training opportunities in the SNAP program.
• Corrections to Burma sanctions.
• Upholstered furniture flammability.
• The Postal Service’s Competitive Product List.
• Promoting telehealth for low-income patients.
• Subsistence fishing.
• Robocalls.

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

Washington’s attention flitted back and forth between beginning work on a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure bill and a brewing sex scandal allegedly involving Rep. Matt Gaetz and a 17-year-old girl. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from shrimp trawlers to the Community Forest Program.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 48 final regulations last week, after 49 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 30 minutes.
• With 808 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,258 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,327 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 62 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 50 the previous week.
• With 553 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,230 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 422 notices last week, after 328 notices the previous week.
• With 5,429 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,891 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 984 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 883 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 282 pages.
• With 17,492 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 70,532 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 13 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with one in the last week. This is on pace for 52 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 142 new rules affect small businesses. Three are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Aluminum import monitoring—another indication that Congress should repeal Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
• The Food and Drug Administration issued new rules for electronic import entries.
• A correction to human drug registration.
• Animal drug applications.
• Medical devices.
• The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is getting rid of its reducing the transparency of its guidance documents.
• Renewable fuel standard compliance.
• The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a correction to its listing of five types of fentanyl as Schedule I controlled substances.
• It also extended the temporary listing of five substances to the Schedule I controlled substances list.
• Shrimp trawling and sea turtle conservation.
• The Internal Revenue Service issued a rule involving carbon dioxide sequestration.
• Marketing Order No. 984 for walnuts.
• Fishery observer coverage during the pandemic.
• Energy conservation tests for room air conditioners.
• A new safety standard for high chairs.
• The Community Forest Program.

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

A massive container ship turned sideways and blocked the Suez canal, halting roughly $10 billion worth of international trade per day, or about $400 million per hour. Trade protectionists in both parties had better be celebrating this catastrophe, or else perhaps they are not as consistent in their beliefs as they say they are. Two regulatory reform bills were introduced in Congress recently, the USA Act, which would cut funding to agencies not authorized by Congress, and the Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act, which would create an independent regulatory review commission similar to what CEI scholars have been advocating for years. Meanwhile, agencies issued new rules ranging from radio abuse to the Tariff of Tolls.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 49 final regulations last week, after 45 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 44 minutes.
• With 748 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,281 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,327 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 50 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 39 the previous week.
• With 487 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,136 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 328 notices last week, after 436 notices the previous week.
• With 5,013 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 21,987 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 883 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 844 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 286 pages.
• With 16,281 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 71,408 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 12 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with two in the last week. This is on pace for 53 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 130 new rules affect small businesses. Two are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Some of the Coast Guards Maritime Analytic Support System  records are now exempt from privacy rules.
• New Environmental Protection Agency regulations for car air conditioners.
• Admissions standards for the U.S. Military Academy.
• The California condor is getting a nonessential experimental population introduced to the Pacific northwest.
• The Tariff of Tolls for the St. Lawrence Seaway.
• Testing regulations for walk-in freezers.
• Handling regulations for pears.
• The Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Public Health Service, and the Children and Families Administration are all delaying a scheduled review of their current regulations. Agencies should regularly do this housekeeping with an eye to eliminating obsolete or harmful rules, stopping mission creep, and prioritizing essential rules.
• Radio abuse.
• Sulfur dioxide.
• Retention limits for hammerhead sharks.
• Deep-sea red crab specifications.
• A delay in a new rule for people seeking asylum.

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

CEI published its new Agenda for Congress last week. We also held a launch event featuring Sen. Rand Paul. Meanwhile, the 2021 Federal Register surpassed 15,000 pages. Agencies issued new rules ranging from sablefish season to airplane airbags.

On to the data:

• Agencies issued 45 final regulations last week, after 83 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 44 minutes.
• With 687 final regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 3,279 final regulations this year. 2020’s total was 3,327 final regulations.
• Agencies issued 39 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 63 the previous week.
• With 419 proposed regulations so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 2,014 proposed regulations this year. 2020’s total was 2,021 proposed regulations.
• Agencies published 436 notices last week, after 432 notices the previous week.
• With 4,693 notices so far in 2021, agencies are on pace to issue 22,563 notices this year. 2020’s total was 22,480.
• Last week, 844 new pages were added to the Federal Register in a three-day week, after 1,069 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue this year contains 290 pages.
• With 15,067 pages so far, the 2021 Federal Register is on pace for 72,438 pages in 2021. The 2020 total was 87,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
• Rules are called “economically significant” if they have costs of $100 million or more in a given year. There are two such rules so far in 2021, none from the last week. Agencies published five economically significant rules in 2020, and four in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2021’s economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $100.7 million to net costs of $362.5 million. The 2020 figure ranges from net savings of between $2.04 billion and $5.69 billion, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 12 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” in 2020, with two in the last week. This is on pace for 58 significant rules in 2021. 2020’s total was 79 significant final rules.
• In 2021, 116 new rules affect small businesses. Two are classified as significant. 2020’s totals were 668 rules affecting small businesses, 26 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Updates to Medicare rules.
• President Trump’s “public charge” regulation that gave agency officials another way to keep out immigrants has been repealed.
• Sablefish season is being extended.
• New rules for trafficking arms to Russia.
• Environmental rules related to the 2018 farm bill.
• Medicare coverage of “innovative technology.”
• Credit discrimination.
• HUD penalties.
• Airbags on Boeing 777 aircraft.
• The Energy Department is delaying guidance document reforms.
• Modernization of media regulation.
• Aluminum aquatic life criteria.
• Underground injection control.

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