Shining a Light on Regulatory Dark Matter

TL;DR

Businesses aiming for "high compliance" with environmental and safety rules often give regulators more than is asked for to avoid costly work interruptions and regulatory entanglements.
"Regulatory dark matter" refers to a vast amount of sub-regulatory literature (guidance documents, memoranda, etc.) produced by agencies that, despite not being laws or regulations, often carry effective quasi-legal standing.
This dark matter is difficult to track, not centrally organized, and can be vague, making it hard for businesses to know what is expected of them.
The GOOD Act (Guidance Out of Darkness Act) proposes creating a searchable online portal for these guidance documents to improve transparency and compliance.
Despite the GOOD Act passing the House, the fundamental issue of "legislation-by-regulation" shifting to "regulation-by-guidance" remains unaddressed.

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