What: On May 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior published a Request for Information seeking comments and information on existing regulations that should be modified or repealed to reduce regulatory burden.
Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, requires that the heads of all agencies review applicable agency actions to identify actions that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources or that are otherwise inconsistent with E.O. 14154. It also requires agencies to develop and begin implementing action plans to suspend, revise, or rescind all agency actions identified as unduly burdensome. Further, Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation, states that it is the policy of the executive branch to be prudent and financially responsible in the expenditure of funds, from both public and private sources, and to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.
Why: To implement the relevant directives from the Administration, the DOI is taking two immediate steps:
- DOI is issuing this RFI seeking public comments on ways to achieve a meaningful reduction in regulatory burdens while continuing to achieve DOI’s legal obligations, mission, and regulatory objectives.
- DOI has created an email inbox, Interior.RegulatoryInfo@doi.gov, which interested parties can use to identify to DOI, continuously, existing regulations that they believe can be modified or repealed, consistent with law.
For this RFI, the term “regulations” includes, but is not limited to, any rules, regulations, guidance, paperwork requirements, processes, including methodology and modeling, or DOI-imposed regulatory or administrative requirements that hinder DOI’s ability to implement the Administration’s policies and directives.
The following list of questions will help assist with the DOI’s identification of regulations. This non-exhaustive list is meant to assist in the formulation of comments and is not intended to restrict the issues that may be addressed. In addressing these questions or others, DOI requests that commenters identify with specificity the regulation at issue, providing legal citations where available. DOI also requests that the submitter provide, in as much detail as possible, an explanation of why a regulation, guidance, or reporting requirement should be modified, streamlined, or repealed, as well as specific suggestions of ways DOI can do so while achieving its legal obligations, mission, and policy and regulatory requirements. Submitters are encouraged to provide economic data to demonstrate the cost of complying with existing regulations, as well as the savings that a change might provide.
- Are there any regulations commenters can identify that fall within the seven categories outlined in E.O. 14219? If so, how does any regulation fall within one or more of those categories? Would repeal or modification (and if so, please describe what modification) advance the policies of the order, consistent with law?
- Are there regulations that simply make no sense or have become unnecessary, ineffective, or ill-advised? If so, please identify them. Are there regulations that can be repealed without impairing DOI’s ability to comply with its statutory obligations? If so, please identify them.
- Are there regulations that have become outdated, and if so, how can they be modernized to better accomplish their objectives?
- Are there regulations that are still necessary, but have not operated as well as expected, such that a modified, or slightly different approach at lower cost is justified?
- Are there regulations that unnecessarily obstruct, delay, curtail, or otherwise impose significant costs on the siting, permitting, or delivery of energy infrastructure projects?
- Does DOI currently collect information that is not needed or used effectively?
- Are there regulations that are unnecessarily complicated or could be streamlined to achieve statutory obligations in more efficient ways? If so, what changes should be made?
- Are there regulations that have been overtaken by technological developments? Can new technologies be leveraged to modify, streamline, or rescind existing regulations?
- Are there any DOI regulations that are inconsistent with E.O.s 14151, 14154, 14168, 14213, or other E.O.s or directives issued by the President, including those described earlier in this RFI? If so, what modifications would ensure consistency with the orders and applicable law?
Action: Written comments and information are requested on or before June 20, 2025.
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE(S):
CONTACT:
Shanerika Flemings
EMAIL:
TOPIC(S):
DOI
ADDITIONAL INFO
The Office of Advocacy will host a virtual Small Business Roundtable to discuss this RFI on June 4, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET on the Microsoft Teams platform.
Small business stakeholders are encouraged to attend the roundtable and identify regulations that should be modified or repealed.
Is your small business or entity being impacted by a proposed rule? If yes, write a comment letter to the proposing agency.