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Web Standard: Regulatory Template

The WebCMS has a content type for regulatory information. If you are creating public content outside the WebCMS, you should still follow these standards. 

On this page:

How To Use the Rulemaking Template
  • View the page on creating and editing the “regulation” page type
  • Regulation Template in Pattern Lab
  • Regulatory Template Elements
    • Rule Title
    • Rule Summary
    • Rule History
    • Additional Resources
    • Compliance 
    • Basic Information [box]
  • Dos and Don’ts for Rule-Related Web Content

Regulatory Template Elements

The regulatory template should be used for any final rule published in the Federal Register (FR), or a part of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that contains several final FR rulemakings. If you choose to follow this template for a rule that is in development but that is not final, or a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), some content areas may not apply, but should be updated when the proposal is promulgated as a final rule. Items marked with an asterisk [*] are required, but it is recommended that pages include all sections where information is available.

Rule Title*:

Use the same “Rule Title” on this webpage, your Federal Register final rule document, and other documents about the rule during its development.

Rule Summary*:

This section should briefly describe the purpose of the rule. Decide whether to link to either the final rule that was published in the Federal Register or to the CFR section that the rule modifies. Links to the CFR should be checked once a year as the URLs change every year. A suggested word limit for your rule summary section is 150-200 words.

Rule History:

Use this area to include historical or background information about the rule, or rule proposal.

  • If you are seeking public comment, link to the docket on Regulations.gov when posting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) or similar document that was published in the Federal Register. Each document posted in Regulations.gov has a unique URL.

Additional Resources:

Use this area to provide related resources or to link to fact sheets, guidance documents, implementation tools, outreach materials, etc.

Compliance:

This section should include information that will aid the regulated community in their compliance efforts.

  • The regulated community will find your page easier if you identify the industries or sectors affected with their NAICS codes, both in your content and your metadata. Use current agency guidelines on appropriate metadata.
  • Clearly outline what the regulated community must do to comply with the rule:
    • what they must do to comply (compliance) and
    • what happens if they don't comply (enforcement).
  • Provide additional information for partnerships or initiatives for businesses.

Basic Information [box]

The Basic Information box is created by the WebCMS and includes five components -Links to the source data for the first four items below are recommended. If you do not wish to use any of the suggested citations, you may omit it from this box. You can add more than one of each component (e.g., more than one FR Citation.)

Legal Authority:  The standard format is [## U.S.C. ####], e.g. 42 U.S.C. 5859 or 33 U.S.C. 1231

  • For more information on correctly displaying statutory authority, see the Office of Federal Register’s Document Drafting Handbook, section 2.11
  • Carefully consider whether to hyperlink to a specific section of the statute (See Dos and Don’ts guidance below). The generic US Code link is https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscode.
  • Information about Legal Authority that’s not from the U.S. Code is optional.

FR Citation: The standard format is [## FR ####] e.g., 75 FR 68049 or 67 FR 593

  • When posting signed rules or future Federal Register documents on the web, follow the guidance in Posting Federal Register Documents on the Internet.  

CFR Citation: The standard format is [40 CFR Part ####] e.g., 40 CFR Part 122 or 40 CFR Parts 79, 80, 85, 86, 600, 1066

  • Avoid linking to the CFR - these links change annually and require frequent maintenance (See further Dos and Don’ts guidance below). The generic CFR link is https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr.

Docket Number: The standard format is [EPA-[HQ or R##]-[Program Office*XXXXX]-20XX-XXXX], e.g., EPA-HQ-OW-2010–0606 or EPA-R02-OAR-2012-0889.

Effective Date: Please use format MM/DD/YYYY, e.g. 08/12/2013 or 11/04/1999, including when multiple effective dates apply.

[Note: If the content on your web page relates to a rulemaking proposal, you may wish to include the Comment Period End Date: (format MM/DD/YYYY).]

Standard Dos and Don’ts for Rule-Related Web Content

  • Do link to the official versions of documents published in the Federal Register, US Code, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), dockets, etc. Official versions come from the Government Printing Office (GPO) or Regulations.gov. Do not post your own PDF versions, unless a document is not available digitally from GPO or Regs.gov. Once the PDF is available from the GPO or Regs.gov, the temporary PDF file you added should be removed from the webpage.
  • Do review and include current agency instructions on appropriate metadata for your page.
  • Do let the EPA Channels Editor-in-Chief (currently Cathy Edstrom in OMS), and the Laws and Regulations Editor (currently Caryn Muellerleile in OP) know when you are creating "Laws and Regulations" content, so they can coordinate updating links and content on other channels and web areas.
  • Do follow the guidance in Posting Federal Register Documents on the Internet when posting any signed Federal Register documents on the web, particularly prior to their publication in the FR.
  • Do not recreate content from the EPA-wide Laws and Regulations channel. Any legal or regulatory summaries you write should be topically oriented; for example: "The Clean Water Act and Puget Sound," not just "The Clean Water Act" (which is already summarized).
  • Do not post your own PDF versions of official documents, unless a document is not available digitally from GPO or regulations.gov.
  • Do not link to non-government sites, such as Cornell's U.S. Code site, when referring to U.S. law (statute or code) or regulation (rule or rulemaking).

About this Standard

All EPA public web content must adhere to all federal requirements including; the EPA Web Standards, the U.S. Web Design System guidelines, federal plain language guidelines, and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act. Internal content, including Intranet and Microsoft 365, may differ from the public content. If not explicitly stated, content must adhere to all federal requirements.

Original effective date: 01/05/2015
Last approved on: 03/08/2023
Web Council review by: 03/08/2026 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council) 

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Last updated on February 14, 2025
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