The OMB and EPA have created an online rulemaking clearinghouse designed to make it easier for the public to find, review and submit comments on federal documents

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created an online, one-stop federal rulemaking clearinghouse designed to make it easier for the public to find, review and submit comments on hundreds of federal documents that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register.

“E-rulemaking will allow citizens to participate actively by enabling them to be involved in federal rulemaking on their own terms at a location and time of their choice,” EPA Deputy Administrator Linda Fisher said of the new Website at www.regulations.gov. “This initiative will help assure the public that they have a role in making regulatory decisions and that it can be done in a more timely and efficient manner.”

The initiative is part of the Bush administration’s E-government agenda aimed at cutting costs and streamlining interactions between the public, businesses and government.

To find Federal Register documents currently open for comment, users can click on the “go” buttons heading every page. They then can access the “Submit a Comment on this Regulation” link to express their opinion on a specific document. Alternatively, they may submit a comment directly to the agency through the PDF or HTML version.