Office of Trade Policy & Analysis
Browse by Subject
- Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.
- Employment & Trade
- Environment
- Export Trading Company Act
- Global Competitiveness
- Industry Regulation
- Reference Information
- Trade Agreements & Negotiations
- Trade Disputes & Enforcement
- Trade Statistics
- U.S. Trade Laws
Our Offices
MAS Input into Federal Rulemaking Process
Proposed Rules
Assistance to Foreign Atomic Energy Activities
On September 7, 2011, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to propose the first comprehensive updating of 10 CFR part 810 (Assistance to Foreign Atomic Energy Activities) since 1986. The NOPR reflected a need to make the regulations consistent with current global civil nuclear trade practices and nonproliferation norms, and to update the activities and technologies subject to the Secretary’s specific authorization and DOE reporting requirements. It also identified destinations with respect to which most assistance would be generally authorized and destinations that would require a specific authorization by the Secretary of Energy. After careful consideration of all comments received, DOE, on August 2, 2013, issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to respond to those comments, propose new or revised rule changes, and afford interested parties a second opportunity to comment.
DOE’s part 810 regulation implements section 57 b. of the Atomic Energy Act (AEA) of 1954, as amended by section 302 of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Act of 1978 (NNPA). Part 810 controls the export of unclassified nuclear technology and assistance. It enables peaceful nuclear trade by helping to assure that nuclear technologies exported from the United States will not be used for non-peaceful purposes. Part 810 controls the export of nuclear technology and assistance by identifying activities that can be “generally authorized” by the Secretary, thereby requiring no further authorization under part 810. It also controls those activities that require “specific authorization” by the Secretary. Part 810 also delineates the process for applying for specific authorization from the Secretary and identifies the reporting requirements for activities subject to part 810. The Regulatory Impact Analysis can be found here.
EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone
Ozone is a “criteria pollutant” in the Clean Air Act, which means that EPA must set national standards for ozone exposure to protect public health, and review the standards every five years. The last review for ozone was completed in March 2008, but the Obama administration is reconsidering the rule. The Clean Air Act specifies that only health considerations can be considered for setting the standard, so the RIA for the ozone standard has no legal standing. Nevertheless, EPA generates a cost-benefit analysis for the rule to comply with E.O. 12,866 and to provide useful information to the public about the standard’s impact on the U.S. economy.
The last standard was set at .075 parts per million (ppm). At this level, EPA’s standard methodology used for estimating the costs of meeting the standard do not generate useful results for many parts of the country. EPA is considering alternate methodologies for calculating compliance costs for the ozone rule, and the MAS regulatory affairs program is participating in these discussions.
Final Rules
DHS’ Importer Security Filing Rule
DHS’ “Importer Security Filing” rule is aimed at preventing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) from being delivered to U.S. ports. The rule requires importers to send ten items of information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) twenty four hours prior to loading a container onto a U.S.-bound vessel. This allows Customs and Border Protection to target containers for inspection before they are packed onto a ship and difficult to reach. However, importers that use just-in-time inventory management systems claimed that the rule would introduce a delay into their supply chain, which DHS estimated could cost more than $3 billion annually. MAS provided input to DHS about how to address this issue in a way that would not significantly impact the security goals of the rule. In January 2009, DHS issued an interim final rule with reporting flexibilities that should help importers comply with the rule without creating supply-chain delays.
OSHA's Worker Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium Rule
This rule was nominated in OMB's 2005 report, "Regulatory Reform of the U.S. Manufacturing Sector," as one that, if reformed, could enhance competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing.
Under a court order, OSHA promulgated a final rule reducing permissible worker exposure to hexavalent chromium from 50 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter (mcm). MAS worked with OMB, OSHA, and industry to come up with a final rule that ensured worker safety and did not create undue burden on U.S. business competitiveness.
Full List of Rules with MAS Input
Acropora Critical Habitat Rule
Americans With Disabilities Act
Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards
Electronic Stability Control System Safety Standards
Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems
Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and Phenylpropanolamine Requirements
Green Sturgeon Critical Habitat Rule
Industrial Boilers Maximum Achievable Control Technology
Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule
Occupational Exposure to Beryllium
Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica
Renewable Fuel Standards (I) and (II)
Safety Standards for Cranes and Derricks
Side Impact Protection Safety Standards
Smalltooth Sawfish Critical Habitat Rule
Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Rules (I) and (II)
Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Transporter Continuous Operation
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative