The Center for Effective Government states that an independent regulatory commission is an agency created through an act of Congress, and it is separate from the executive departments. They are still considered part of the executive branch, but independent regulatory commissions and agencies must be free from political influence.
Dr. Stephen Hartman explains that their purpose is to impose and enforce regulations within the scope of their individual designations. The Environmental Protection Agency is one independent regulatory commission created to control and diminish environmental pollution. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was created to ensure that only safe products are on store shelves. Many other independent regulatory commissions exist for purposes ranging from aviation to communication.