DOT 62-03 
Contact:  Bill Mosley
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Tel.:  (202) 366-5571

DOT Withdraws Unnecessary Rulemakings;
Stresses Timeliness and Results In Regulatory Process


The U.S. Department of Transportation, as part of its effort to overhaul and expedite its rulemaking process, today announced the withdrawal or termination of 53 rulemaking actions for which no further regulatory action is planned.

"Rulemaking is one of DOT's most important activities, and I have worked to ensure that the department's rules - and the process to develop them - are driven by the results we are trying to achieve," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said.  "The actions we are taking today build on our ongoing effort to complete all rulemakings in a timely manner."

At the direction of Secretary Mineta, the department reviewed the status of all DOT rulemakings.  The review identified numerous proceedings listed in DOT's Regulatory Agenda for which it was clear no further action was intended.  Many of these proceedings had been pending for years without action.  The withdrawn or terminated rulemakings include notices of proposed rulemaking, advance notices of proposed rulemaking, and one interim final rule, and involve proceedings within most of DOT's operating administrations as well as the Office of the Secretary.

This review is part of Secretary Mineta's larger effort to improve DOT's rulemaking management.  He required DOT's senior leadership to take a course on the rulemaking process to ensure that they fully understood the legal requirements, time constraints and need for well-reasoned analysis.  He also emphasized the need for an effective tracking system for DOT's significant rulemakings to ensure that rules are completed in a timely manner or that problems are identified and fixed.  As part of this effort, he established a monthly, internet-accessible report for the public providing the current status of these significant rulemakings, which may be obtained at  http://regs.dot.gov.

The department's notice may be obtained in today's Federal Register as well as through DOT's Docket Management System at http://dms.dot.gov, docket OST-2003-15243.

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Briefing Room