Get Involved with EPA Regulations
Many people get involved with EPA's regulations by submitting comments when we publish a proposed version in the Federal Register. You can access rulemaking information and submit comments on-line at Regulations.gov.
Often, you can get involved before a proposed regulation is published. After a regulation is finalized, regulated entities (such as businesses, state governments, or individuals) can stay involved by learning how to comply. Learn how to:
- Comment on our regulations
- Keep tabs on rulemakings
- Read our Regulatory Agendas and Plans
- Access our Docket Center
Comment on our regulations
- Regulations.gov - This multi-agency website is EPA's official on-line comment system and serves as a clearinghouse for materials related to EPA rulemakings. You may submit comments on proposed regulations via this website.
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If you know only the title or subject of the regulation, the easiest way to search is to enter the full title or keywords in the "Keyword or ID" field on the Regulations.gov home page. Be as specific as possible to help narrow your search results.
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If you know the Docket or Document ID number, enter it in the "Keyword or ID" field. One of these tracking numbers are likely to yield more targeted results than a title search.
- Once you locate the regulation you want to comment on, you can open the document to find other ways to comment (i.e., via mail or e-mail) in addition to the Regulations.gov on-line comment form. Look for a section of the regulation called "ADDRESSES," which will specify other ways to comment.
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- GovInfo - Use govinfo as an alternate to Regulations.gov. This website is maintained by the U.S. Government Printing Office and provides access to every regulation published in the Federal Register since 1936, as well as many other federal government publications. Navigate to the proposed regulation you are interested in; to do so, it is best if you know the date the proposed regulation was published or the citation. Once you reach the regulation, you will find instructions on how to submit comments in a section called "ADDRESSES."
Keep tabs on rulemakings
Regulations.gov - This is EPA's official on-line commenting system. Any rule that is open for comment with a docket number in the Federal Register notice directs you to Regulations.gov so you may submit a comment. Also, from Regulations.gov, you can sign up for email alerts and sign up for RSS feeds.
Read our Regulatory Agendas and Plans
EPA contributes an annual Regulatory Plan and Semiannual Regulatory Agenda to the U.S. government's Unified Agenda, which is published in the Federal Register. Our Regulatory Plans and Agendas broadly describe the regulatory activities that EPA will be undertaking over the next year; the Plan describes EPA's core priorities for the next fiscal year.
Access our docket centers
The EPA Docket Center collects and publicizes information related to EPA regulations, such as Federal Register notices, public comments, and background documentation about rulemakings. In accordance with Federal law, the Docket Center makes regulatory materials available electronically on Regulations.gov and in hardcopy form at the Docket Center Reading room. Please see Access EPA Dockets for more information about accessing and commenting on rulemakings.