Use of Direct Final Rulemaking

The Food and Consumer Service is implementing a new rulemaking procedure to expedite making noncontroversial changes to regulations. Rules that the agency judges to be noncontroversial and unlikely to result in adverse comments will be published as ``direct final'' rules. (``Adverse comments'' are comments that suggest that a rule should not be adopted or suggest that a change should be made to the rule.) Such direct final rules will advise the public that no adverse comments are anticipated, and that unless written adverse comments or written notices of intent to submit adverse comments are postmarked within the comment period, the revisions made by the rule will, in most instances, be effective 60 days from the date the direct final rule is published in the Federal Register. This new policy should expedite the promulgation of noncontroversial rules by reducing the time that would be required to develop, review, clear, and publish separate proposed and final rules.