By Nick Goldstein, vice president of regulatory & legal issues, ARTBA
What Happened: The Biden administration June 2 revoked a rule aimed at increasing the public’s ability to examine the science used to justify U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The rule was passed in the final days of the Trump administration and recently vacated by a federal district court.
Why it Matters: The regulation required EPA to “identify and make publicly available the science that serves as the basis for informing a significant regulatory action at the proposed rule stage to the extent practicable; included additional requirements for the peer review of pivotal science.” Supporters of the rule argued it increased transparency and produced better overall regulations by allowing underlying scientific studies to be reviewed. Detractors felt the increased requirements hampered EPA’s ability to promulgate regulations necessary to protect the environment.
Key Document: Federal Register Notice
