Final answer:
Advance notice of proposed rulemaking is the first step in the Federal Register during the rulemaking process, where preliminary feedback is solicited from the public.
Step-by-step explanation:
The action that would likely appear first in the Federal Register during the rulemaking process is c) Advance notice of proposed rulemaking. This initial step allows the respective agency to communicate that it is considering action on a particular issue and invites preliminary feedback from the public. It precedes the proposed rule, which is more formal and includes more detailed information about the potential regulations. After considering the public's comments on the proposed rule, the agency may issue a final rule, which is the last step in the process. This notice-and-comment rulemaking process ensures that the public can contribute to the development of federal regulations, making it an integral part of the democracy.