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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Issued: December 13, 2004
20 CFR Chs. I, IV, V, VI, VII, and IX
29 CFR Subtitle A and Chs. II, IV, V, XVII, and
XXV
30 CFR Ch. I
41 CFR Ch. 60
48 CFR Ch. 29
Semiannual Agenda of Regulations
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor.
ACTION: Semiannual regulatory agenda.
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SUMMARY: This document sets forth the Department's
semiannual agenda of regulations that have been selected for review or
development during the coming year. The Department's agencies have carefully
assessed their available resources and what they can accomplish in the next
twelve months and have adjusted their agendas accordingly.
The agenda complies with the requirements of both Executive
Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The agenda lists all
regulations that are expected to be under review or development between
November 2004 and November 2005, as well as those completed during the past six
months.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Franks,
Director for the Office of Regulatory Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-
2312, Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-5959.
Note: Information pertaining to a specific
regulation can be obtained from the agency contact listed for that particular
regulation.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 12866 and
the Regulatory Flexibility Act require the semiannual publication in the
Federal Register of an agenda of regulations. As permitted by law, the
Department of Labor is combining the publication of its agendas under the
Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 12866 became effective September 30, 1993,
and, in substance, requires the Department of Labor to publish an agenda
listing all the regulations it expects to have under active consideration for
promulgation, proposal, or review during the coming 1-year period. The focus of
all departmental regulatory activity will be on the development of effective
rules that advance the Department's goals and that are understandable and
usable to the employers and employees in all affected workplaces.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act became effective on January
1, 1981, and applies only to regulations for which a notice of proposed
rulemaking was issued on or after that date. It requires the Department of
Labor to publish an agenda, listing all the regulations it expects to propose
or promulgate that are likely to have a ``significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities'' (5 U.S.C. 602).
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (under section 610) also
requires agencies to periodically review rules ``which have or will have a
significant economic impact upon a substantial number of small entities'' and
to annually publish a list of the rules that will be reviewed during the
succeeding 12 months. The purpose of the review is to determine whether the
rule should be continued without change, amended, or rescinded.
The next 12-month review list for the Department of Labor
is provided below and public comment is invited on the listing. A brief
description of each rule, the legal basis for the rule, and the agency contact
are provided with each agenda item.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational
Exposure to
Ethylene Oxide (RIN 1218-AB60)
Excavations (RIN
1218-AC02)
Lead in Construction (RIN 1218-AC18)
Employee
Benefits Security Administration Prohibited Transaction Exemption Procedures
(RIN 1210-AA98)
Statutory Exemption for Loans to Plan Participants
(RIN 1210- AA99)
OSHA's Presence Sensing Device Initiation of
Mechanical Power Presses was completed in June 2004.
All interested members of the public are invited and
encouraged to let departmental officials know how our regulatory efforts can be
improved, and, of course, to participate in and comment on the review or
development of the regulations listed on the agenda.
Elaine L. Chao,
Secretary of Labor.
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