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# Procedural Requirements

The NRC must comply with statutorily-mandated procedural requirements.

On this page:
            - Administrative Procedure Act
            - National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
            - National Environmental Policy Act
            - Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
            - Regulatory Flexibility Act
            - Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA)
            - Congressional Review Act 
            - Plain Writing Act

## Administrative Procedure Act

The Administrative Procedure Act requires that Federal agencies follow specific guidelines when promulgating rules, including requiring that the agency give the public an opportunity to comment on a rule proposed by the agency before the rule can be put into effect.

## National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 requires Federal agencies to consult with and to participate in the development of consensus standards. The Act also requires that Federal agencies use standards developed by voluntary consensus standard bodies unless the use of such a standard is inconsistent with applicable law or is otherwise impractical.

## National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act requires each Federal agency to prepare an environmental impact statement on each major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The intent of the Act is to build the consideration of environmental aspects of agency actions into the decision-making process of the agency.

## Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)

The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is intended to minimize the burden on regulated parties resulting from the collection of information by and for the Federal Government. The PRA also is intended to maximize the public benefit and practical utility of information created, collected, disclosed, maintained, used, shared, and disseminated by or for the Federal Government. The PRA requires each Federal agency to obtain approval from OMB for each information collection activity that affects 10 or more persons.

## Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires Federal agencies to review their regulations to ensure that they do not unduly inhibit the ability of small entities to compete.

For more information, see Regulatory Flexibility Act Compliance. 

## Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA)

The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act requires Federal Agencies to publish one (or more) small entity compliance guides for each rule or group of related rules for which the agency is required to prepare a final regulatory flexibility analysis under Section605(b) of title 5, United States Code.

For more information, see Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act Compliance.

## Congressional Review Act

The Congressional Review Act requires Federal agencies to provide Congress with an opportunity to review agency rules. Each agency is required to submit a report to Congress containing a copy of each final rule and a concise general statement of the final rule. A report is not required for proposed rules.

## Plain Writing Act

The Plain Writing Act requires that federal agencies write all publications, forms, and publicly distributed documents in a "clear, concise, well-organized" manner.

For more information, see Plain Writing at the NRC.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, August 25, 2021

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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, August 25, 2021