<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-05-25-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>2080-AA14</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>202010</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>2080</CODE>
            <NAME>Office of Research and Development</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>ORD</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>2000</CODE>
            <NAME>Environmental Protection Agency</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>EPA</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[This action is intended to increase the transparency of influential scientific information and final significant regulatory actions by giving greater consideration to pivotal science for which the underlying data and models are available in a manner sufficient for independent validation. This action would increase transparency of the assumptions underlying data and models that support these EPA regulatory decisions. The Agency proposes to take this action under its housekeeping authority.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <EO_13771_DESIGNATION>Fully or Partially Exempt</EO_13771_DESIGNATION>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>40 CFR 30</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 6981</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 9615</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>Pub. L. 98-80, 84 Stat. 2086</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>5 U.S.C. App</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>15 U.S.C. 2609</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>33 U.S.C. 1254</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>33 U.S.C. 1361</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 11048</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 300j-1</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 300j-9(a)(1)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 6912(a)(1)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 7403</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 7601(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 9660</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>5 U.S.C. 301</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 U.S.C. 136r(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 U.S.C. 136w</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
            <LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
                <DLINE_TYPE></DLINE_TYPE>
                <DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>None</DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>
                <DLINE_DATE></DLINE_DATE>
                <DLINE_DESC></DLINE_DESC>
            </LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
        </LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <RPLAN_INFO>
            <STMT_OF_NEED><![CDATA[When EPA develops influential scientific information and final significant regulatory actions using public resources, including regulations for which the public is likely to bear the cost of compliance, EPA should ensure that the data and models underlying scientific studies that are pivotal to the influential scientific information and the final significant regulatory actions are available for independent validation. This rulemaking is designed to increase transparency in the use of pivotal science underlying influential scientific information and final significant regulatory actions.]]></STMT_OF_NEED>
            <LEGAL_BASIS><![CDATA[The Agency is taking this action under its housekeeping authority.]]></LEGAL_BASIS>
            <ALTERNATIVES><![CDATA[EPA considered prior EPA actions in response to government-wide data access and sharing policies, as well as the experience of other federal agencies.  EPA also considered the concepts and lessons learned from its ongoing implementation of the 2016 Plan to Increase Access to Results of EPA-Funded Scientific Research and the policies or recommendations of third-party organizations who advocated for open science.]]></ALTERNATIVES>
            <COSTS_AND_BENEFITS><![CDATA[EPA believes the benefits of the rule will justify the costs. The benefits of EPA ensuring that data and models underlying pivotal science are available in a manner sufficient for independent validation are that it will improve the data and scientific quality of the Agency's assessments and actions and facilitate expanded data sharing and exploration of key data sets.  The rulemaking directs EPA to implement it in a cost-effective way.]]></COSTS_AND_BENEFITS>
            <RISKS><![CDATA[This rulemaking would apply to influential scientific information and final regulations issued under the environmental statutes EPA implements that are determined to be significant regulatory actions by the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to Executive Order 12866.  Thus, while this rulemaking will not directly address risks, it will increase transparency in the use of science in influential scientific information and final significant regulatory actions that address risks.]]></RISKS>
        </RPLAN_INFO>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>04/30/2018</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>83 FR 18768</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Supplemental NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>03/18/2020</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>85 FR 15396</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>12/00/2020</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Cheryl</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Hawkins</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>A.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2080</CODE>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 564-7307</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>osp_staff@epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Mail Code 8104R,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20460</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Bennett</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Thompson</LAST_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2080</CODE>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 564-1071</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>osp_staff@epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Mail Code 8104R,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20460</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
