This week in ridiculous regulations: government space innovation and pear marketing
Regulators had another busy week leading up to the likely Congressional Review Act deadline. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from bird harvests to partially hydrogenated oil.
On to the data:
- Agencies issued 99 final regulations last week, after 63 the previous week.
- That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every one hour and 42 minutes.
- With 1,058 final regulations so far in 2024, agencies are on pace to issue 3,040 final regulations this year.
- For comparison, there were 3,018 new final regulations in 2023, 3,168 in 2022, and 3,257 in 2021.
- Agencies issued 35 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 38 the previous week.
- With 644 proposed regulations so far in 2024, agencies are on pace to issue 1,851 proposed regulations this year.
- For comparison, there were 2,102 proposed regulations in 2023, 2,044 in 2022, and 2,094 in 2021.
- Agencies published 515 notices last week, after 459 notices the previous week.
- With 7,893 notices so far in 2024, agencies are on pace to issue 22,681 notices this year.
- For comparison, there were 22,902 notices in 2023, 22,505 in 2022, and 20,018 in 2021.
- Last week, 3,873 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 3,934 pages the previous week.
- The average Federal Register issue in 2024 contains 405 pages.
- With 37,058 pages so far, the 2024 Federal Register is on pace for 106,489 pages.
- For comparison, the 2023 Federal Register totals 90,402 pages, the 2022 Federal Register has 80,756 pages, and 2021’s is 74,352 pages. The all-time record adjusted page count (subtracting skips, jumps, and blank pages) is 96,994, set in 2016.
- Rules with $200 million or more of economic effects in at least one year qualify as major under Section 3(f)(1). This replaces the former economically significant tag for $100 million-plus regulations. There are 10 such rules so far in 2024, with three in the last week.
- This is on pace for 29 3(f)(1) regulations in 2024.
- For comparison, there were 28 3(f)(1) and/or economically significant regulations in 2023, 43 economically significant rules in 2022, and 26 in 2021. Note that these are not apples-to-apples comparisons, since 3(f)(1) and economically significant rules have different thresholds.
- The total estimated cost of 2024’s 3(f)(1) major regulations ranges from net savings of $17.85 billion to net savings of $20.88 billion, per the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
- For comparison, the cost tally for 2023’s 3(f)(1) major and economically significant regulations ranges from $62.60 billion to 90.48 billion. Cost estimates for 2022’s economically significant rules range $45.28 billion to $78.05 billion. In 2021, net costs ranged from $13.54 billion to $1992 billion. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
- There were 20 new final regulations meeting the broader definition of “significant” last week, after seven the previous week.
- So far this year, there are 134 new regulations meeting the broader definition of “significant.” This is on pace for 385 significant regulations in 2024.
- For comparison, there were 290 such regulations in 2023, 255 in 2022, and 387 in 2021.
- So far in 2024, 253 new regulations affect small businesses, on pace for 727. Twenty-seven of them are significant, on pace for 78.
- For comparison, in 2023 there were 789 regulations affecting small businesses, 79 of them significant. In 2022 there were 912 regulations affecting small businesses, 70 of them significant. 2021’s totals were 912 regulations affecting small businesses, 101 of them significant.
Highlights from last week’s new final regulations:
- Rules for HHS grants.
- Equal opportunity employment regulations for cable providers and broadcasters.
- New EPA rules for evaluating chemical risks.
- An experimental population of grizzly bears is being established in Washington State.
- No more ocean dumping in Nome, Alaska.
- The FEC is updating its FOIA policies.
- The SBA is adjusting its microloan policies for small businesses.
- Venezuela sanctions.
- New regulations for signing for mail deliveries.
- Water quality standards for Tribal lands.
- Offshore wind farms near Massachusetts.
- Procurement rules from the International Development Finance Corporation.
- Clean energy requirements for new and renovated federal buildings.
- Revised NEPA regulations.
- The TSA’s Flight Training Security Program.
- New right-of-way and leasing rules for renewable energy projects.
- Subsistence harvesting of migratory birds in Alaska.
- Safety regulations for portable fuel containers.
- New FCC rules for space-based supplemental coverage networks.
- Guidance document procedures from the Personnel Management Office.
- Insurance coverage of audio-only telehealth and mental health care for veterans.
- The Indian Health Service is removing some outdated rules.
- The Unaccompanied Children Program.
- Airline fees.
- Classifying trafficking victims.
- Firearms licensing requirements.
- Russian and Belarussian sanctions.
- Commercial grade items for use in nuclear power plants.
- Animal food additives.
- Partially hydrogenated oil guidance.
- Rules for seasonal agricultural workers.
- The Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Program.
- Mercury management.
And from last week’s proposed regulations:
- Prevailing wages near Denver, Colorado.
- Acquisition restrictions on imported semiconductors.
- Exchanging damaged coins at the US Mint.
- Project emissions accounting.
- Permit duration under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- Arms trafficking regulation exemptions for Australia, the UK, and the US.
- Space innovation from the FCC.
- Work requirements for the SNAP food assistance program.
- Marketing regulations for Oregon- and Washington-grown pears.
For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter.