The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency (GC-33) provides legal support and advice on legislative matters throughout the Department. It participates in the development of DOE views on pending legislation, drafts DOE legislative proposals and supporting documents, obtains interagency clearances from the Office of Management and Budget, and prepares, coordinates, and reviews bill comments to Congressional committees. The office also provides legal counsel and rulemaking support to programs throughout DOE on administrative requirements for developing DOE rules, directives, and other generally applicable policies. The Office additionally provides legal support to the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and for other DOE energy efficiency and renewable energy programs and activities. This legal support consists of analysis and advice in areas pertaining to rulemaking, documents published in the Federal Register, regulatory reform, regulatory oversight, and EERE programmatic activities which include the appliance program, weatherization assistance program, building standards program, and the Federal Energy Management Program.

Contacts for the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation, and Energy Efficiency (GC-33)

Authorities Affecting Rulemaking

Administrative Procedure Act

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

Congressional Review Act

Negotiated Rulemaking Act

Federal Register Act

Treasury and Government Appropriations Act, 1999 (Sec. 654, P.L. 105-277)

Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review

Executive Order 13132, Federalism

Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform

Executive Order 13211, Statement of Energy Effects

Other Legislation & Regulation Resources

Ex Parte Communication

Rulemaking Guidance

Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook

Attorney General’s Report on the APA (1941)

Attorney General’s Report on the APA (1947)

Litigation, Regulation And Enforcement