Increasing Participation in Governance

Office of Management and Budget

pen, transparent government long has been an ideal of American democracy. But in today's world of complex bureaucracies, finding government information is a tall order for all but the savviest Washington insider.

Enter Regulations.gov. The site pools all proposed federal regulations that are open for public comment in a searchable database. Citizens can search for rules by keyword or by agency. Each rule comes with a form that allows users to submit comments to the sponsoring agency.

Built on a shoestring budget of $400,000, Regulations.gov is the work of five agencies and six contracting firms. The National Archives and Records Administration designed the site, while the Government Printing Office hosts it on its servers and the Environmental Protection Agency supports the comment form. The Office of Management and Budget coordinates the effort as part of its e-government initiative. "It's been a great partnership," says Sharon Whitt, a project manager with NARA.

The site has had 1.6 million visitors since January, despite not having an advertising budget.

-Jason Peckenpaugh

WHY IT WON

Made it easier for citizens to comment on pending federal rules.

WHY IT'S INNOVATIVE

Pooled regulations from dozens of agencies into a user-friendly Web site.

WHAT DIFFERENCE IT HAS MADE

Transformed the federal rule-making process from an insider's game, making it more accessible to the public.