The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions.
From April 5 through April 9—the 12th week of the Biden administration—the Federal Register grew by 1,390 pages for a year-to-date total of 18,882 pages. During the same period of the Trump administration in 2017, the Federal Register grew by 982 pages for a year-to-date total of 18,078 pages.
The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
This week’s Federal Register featured the following 496 documents:
- 375 notices
- 15 presidential documents
- 38 proposed rules
- 68 final rules
One final rule from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding the taking and importing of marine mammals and one proposed rule concerning revisions to the Environmental Protection Agency’s lead and copper rule were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—defined by the potential to have large impacts on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments. Significant actions may also conflict with presidential priorities or other agency rules. The Biden administration has issued 11 significant proposed rules and seven significant final rules as of April 9.
Ballotpedia maintains page counts and other information about the Federal Register as part of its Administrative State Project. The project is a neutral, nonpartisan encyclopedic resource that defines and analyzes the administrative state, including its philosophical origins, legal and judicial precedents, and scholarly examinations of its consequences. The project also monitors and reports on measures of federal government activity.
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