This Week in Ridiculous Regulations

New COVID cases continued to rise, and the Supreme Court handed down a number of controversial decisions to end its term. Regulatory agencies issued new regulations ranging from web coatings to sling carriers.

On to the data:

• Last week, 93 new final regulations were published in the Federal Register, after 57 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every one hour and 48 minutes.
• Federal agencies have issued 1,661 final regulations in 2020. At that pace, there will be 3,122 new final regulations. Last year’s total was 2,964 regulations.
• There were also 43 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, for a total of 1,156 on the year. At that pace, there will be 2,173 new proposed regulations in 2020. Last year’s total was 2,191 proposed regulations.
• Last week, agencies published 470 notices, for a total of 11,723 in 2020. At that pace, there will be 22,036 new notices this year. Last year’s total was 21,804.
• Last week, 1,815 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 1,344 pages the previous week.
• The 2020 Federal Register totals 41,904 pages. It is on pace for 78,767 pages. The 2019 total was 79,267 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (which subtracts 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. Three such rules have been published this year. Four such rules were published in 2019.
• The running cost tally for 2020’s economically significant regulations ranges from net savings of between $1.38 billion and $4.19 billion. 2019’s total ranges from net savings of $350 million to $650 million, mostly from estimated savings on federal spending. The exact number depends on discount rates and other assumptions.
• Agencies have published 34 final rules meeting the broader definition of “significant” so far this year. 2019’s total was 66 significant final rules.
• So far in 2020, 321 new rules affect small businesses; 12 of them are classified as significant. 2019’s totals were 501 rules affecting small businesses, with 22 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new regulations:

• Nine pages of rules for implementing the United States-Mexico Canada Agreement.
• An extension of the effective period for serving documents related to enacting new antidumping duties.
• The Agricultural Marketing Service has revised its Federal Seed Act regulations.
• It also has a new rules titled “Procedural Requirements Governing Proceedings Pertaining to Marketing Agreements and Marketing Orders.” Though if the administration really is interested in helping farmers, I suggest tariff relief.
• Restricted percentages on tart cherries grown in Michigan.
• Power lines near trees.
• Expanded eligibility for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. And a correction.
• A tax increase on sweet onions grown in Walla Walla Valley.
• A new spearmint oil regulation—the 165^th such rule since 1994.
• Emissions from web coatings.
• Environmental Protection Agency rules for car surface coatings, plastic parts, fabric dyes, and metal furniture.
• A correction to recent fuel economy rules.
• Standards for testing methods refining processes for bioengineered foods.
• Conflict of interest rules at the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
• How determine if a liquid is ignitable.
• Residual risk and technology reviews for non-gasoline emissions.
• Safety standards for child gate locks.
• And portable bed rails.
• And hand-held infant carriers.
• And sling carriers.
• And folding chairs and stools.
• Construction is being blocked for some natural gas power plants, “pending rehearing.”

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