FMCSA wants to streamline rulemaking process

Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on March 17 issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend regulations in an effort to expedite promulgation of noncontroversial rules.

Under the proposed changes (.pdf file), published in the March 17 Federal Register, a direct final rule for a noncontroversial rule would become effective a specified number of days after the date of publication in the Federal Register unless the agency receives written adverse comments or a written notice of intent to submit adverse comments before the date specified in the direct final rule.

FMCSA said the changes would provide some cost savings and reduce the time and resources necessary to develop, review, clear and publish separate proposed and final rules the agency believes are unlikely to result in adverse public comments. Officials said other Department of Transportation divisions already use such procedures.