by Jbs052009 d3 — June 10, 2009—The eRulemaking Program, a federal government-wide e-government project led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched Regulations.gov Exchange.
Regulations.gov is the one-stop online source for citizens to search, view, and comment on regulations issued by the U.S. government.
In the past, the paper process limited the public’s ability to find rules and comment, notes the EPA. Today, the public can explore new features for Regulations.gov, post opinions, and engage directly with other users and with eRulemaking program staff through Regulations.gov Exchange. The new forum will be open for public participation from May 21 to July 21, 2009.
Regulations.gov Exchange promotes public engagement by actively involving citizens in the development of a major government-wide Web site, and uses new technologies that enhance the transparency of government decision-making. The public feedback will shape ongoing updates of Regulations.gov, explore the impact of emerging Internet technologies on the federal rulemaking process, foster government-citizen collaboration, and promote government transparency and openness, says the EPA.
In 2008, Regulations.gov reportedly received more than 110 million hits and 450,000 comments on new or existing regulations. It holds 2 million documents from more than 160 federal entities.
