Publications

The GW Regulatory Studies Center scholars regularly conduct applied research to understand regulatory policy and practice from a public interest perspective. Our content often takes the form of public interest comments, formal testimony, working papers, policy insights, and short commentaries analyzing the most pressing issues in regulatory policy. View the rest of our material by the different types of publications listed on this page or our research areas.

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What We Publish

Long-form publications intended for academic audiences that take a deep dive into a particular aspect of regulatory policy.

Scholarly analysis of the potential effects of particular rulemakings from federal agencies, and advice to Congress on how to improve the rulemaking process.

Short-form publications intended for all audiences which provide easy to access analysis of regulatory policy.

Formal publications, often completed with other leading organizations and individuals, providing a thorough understanding of regulations and the rulemaking process.

The weekly Regulation Digest contains everything you need to know about regulatory policy today, and our monthly Center Update gives you all of the latest from our team.

For accessible charts and supporting data that you can use in your own publications or presentations, visit the Reg Stats page.

Latest Publications

Salience, Complexity, and State Resistance to Federal Mandates

October 28, 2015

Although state resistance to federal mandates is a prevalent characteristic of contemporary American federalism, little is known about the factors that separate resisting states from states that do not oppose federal policy. This article examines state resistance through a framework that classifies public policies by salience and complexity and identifies societal interests and government officials who are hypothesized to influence policy making on issues of varying types.

The Ozone Charade

October 28, 2015

New EPA standard seems driven by economic tradeoffs, despite agency's assertion

OMB Reports Higher Costs and Lower Benefits in 2015 Draft Report

October 21, 2015

The Office Management and Budget (OMB) released its annual Draft Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations (“the Report”), which provides a window into regulatory activity conducted by federal agencies in Fiscal Year 2014. The Report indicates that the new regulations issued last fiscal year have both higher costs and lower benefits than those issued in FY 2013, and that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remains by far the largest contributor to both regulatory costs and benefits in this Report.

The Tension between Optimization and Competition in Rulemaking: The Case of Proposed Fuel-Efficiency Standards for Trucks

October 8, 2015

Executive Order No. 12866, signed by President Clinton, directs agencies to analyze the benefits and costs of regulations, and to try to maximize the excess of the former over the latter. It is a sound principle, but it needs to be applied with an appropriate measure of humility.

EPA’s Ozone Rule and the Scientization of Policy

October 7, 2015

EPA standards on Clean Air Act reflect hidden policy choices

EPA and NHTSA's Proposed Rule: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles – Phase 2

October 1, 2015

In response to a directive from President Obama, and using their respective statutory authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have jointly proposed a set of standards to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and (almost equivalently) fuel efficiency for medium and heavy-duty engines and vehicles.

With Data, Will Regulators Show Humility or Hubris?

September 23, 2015

A Review of Regulatory Reform Proposals

September 16, 2015

Testimony before the United States Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee.

The Questionable Benefits of Energy Efficiency Standards

September 15, 2015

Whose Benefits Are They, Anyway? Examining the Benefits of Energy Efficiency Rules 2007 - 2014

September 2, 2015