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May 20, 2021

EPA Will Rescind Final Rule Establishing Administrative Procedures for Issuing Guidance Documents

Lynn L Bergeson

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish a final rule on May 18, 2021, that will rescind the October 18, 2020, rulemaking that established procedures for issuing, modifying, withdrawing, and using guidance documents. According to the final rule, after consideration and review, “EPA has concluded that the internal rule on guidance deprives the EPA of necessary flexibility in determining when and how best to issue public guidance based on particular facts and circumstances, and unduly restricts the EPA's ability to provide timely guidance on which the public can confidently rely.” EPA states that it will continue to make Agency guidance available to the public at https://www.epa.gov. In addition, EPA will comply with all statutory obligations pertaining to posting documents for public accessibility. EPA will also continue its practice, as appropriate, of soliciting stakeholder input on guidance of significant stakeholder and public interest. EPA notes that consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), stakeholders may still petition EPA at any time regarding its regulatory programs, including requests to issue, amend, or repeal EPA guidance. The final rule will be effective when published in the Federal Register.