This webpage from the National Archives explains the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)—a foundational federal law enacted in 1946 that governs how federal agencies operate. It is often described as the “rulebook” for federal agencies, setting the procedures they must follow when creating regulations, issuing permits, or making decisions that affect the public.
The page serves as an educational resource, helping the public understand how agency actions, like those by the Department of Energy (DOE) or Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are supposed to be carried out.
What it does legally:
The APA is a binding federal law, and it plays a central role in how government decisions are made and challenged:
- It requires agencies to follow formal rulemaking procedures, including publishing proposed rules in the Federal Register and allowing the public to comment.
- It governs both rulemaking (creating regulations) and adjudication (deciding specific cases or licenses).
- It ensures transparency and fairness, requiring agencies to explain their decisions and base them on evidence.
- It gives individuals, states, and organizations the right to seek judicial review in federal court if they believe an agency acted unlawfully or arbitrarily.
In effect, the APA sets the legal procedures agencies must follow before taking action and provides a mechanism to challenge those actions.
