Administrative Power

Administrative Procedure Act?

If you could change any part of it, what would you change and why?

Public Comments

1. I am frustrated by the relatively small amount of attention APA notice and comment periods are given. The EPA uses the APA all the time in generating regulations, but you never really hear about it on the news, in the newspaper, or on the radio. Unless you know that the EPA (or other administrative agency) is opening a notice and comment period or are a member of a group that monitors a certain administrative agency, you are likely to miss it. I think (and the EPA has started doing this) a person should be able to review and post comments online. Of course, this presents the problem of people posting comments that are off-topic or uninformed. However, if an administrative agency could come up with an effective notice and online system, it would greatly increase individual participation in important regulatory matters. And isn't that what a democracy is about?