Proposed rule
Definition
A proposed rule, or Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), is an agency's public draft of a new or changed regulation, published in the Federal Register. It explains the rule's rationale and invites public comments, usually for 30 to 60 days, before the agency can finalize it.
Why it matters
The comment period is the public's main legal opportunity to shape a regulation before it takes effect, but industry groups with dedicated regulatory affairs staff dominate most comment dockets by volume and technical detail. Courts can strike a final rule if the agency failed to genuinely respond to significant comments, so the proposed-rule stage carries real legal weight, not just symbolic input.1
Seen in the wild
EPA published a proposed rule on November 20, 2025 to redefine "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act, following the Supreme Court's 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision narrowing federal wetlands jurisdiction, opening a public comment period before any final rule could take effect.2