The FCC has significantly reduced commission backlogs, including a 30% reduction in broadcast licensing applications, according to Chairman Julius Genachowski.
That’s but one in a series of benchmarks the chairman noted in remarks Monday at Georgetown University.
Giving something of a report card on FCC reform and streamlining efforts, he summarized findings of an FCC plan for “retrospective analysis,” which was published in draft form this week. That report is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to review regulations periodically to determine whether any should be changed or repealed.
The report lists 190 regulations that have been removed from the Code of Federal Regulations since March of 2010. Genachowski said the FCC also has identified 25 data collections that may be eliminated.
“In addition to the rules we’ve gotten rid of, the regulatory review we release today gives multiple examples of substantive rules we have modified or are in the process of modifying to eliminate needless regulatory restrictions,” the chairman said, according to the FCC transcript.
He gave an update on various FCC’s activities involving spectrum use, mobile communications, the 911 system and broadband infrastructure.
Among other improvements, Genachowski said the FCC also has “significantly reduced the time between the vote on a commission decision such as a rulemaking order and the release of the full text of the decision,” and he said the commission has closed 999 dockets, about a third of its open docketed proceedings.
He listed a number of other changes made or planned, such as those to improve the public comment process, the FCC website and commission workshops.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved. And I thank my fellow commissioners as well as the FCC’s career employees who have been instrumental in making this progress possible. … I am committed to building on our reform efforts. “
“Preliminary Plan for Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules” (PDF)
