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Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court held that federal courts cannot impose procedural requirements on agency rulemaking beyond those mandated by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). A lower court had improperly invalidated a nuclear regulation because the agency did not use trial-like procedures, such as cross-examination.
Legal Significance: This landmark case establishes that courts generally cannot require agencies to use procedures more stringent than the notice-and-comment requirements of APA § 553 for informal rulemaking, cementing a doctrine of judicial deference to agency procedural choices.
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) initiated an informal rulemaking proceeding under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) to determine how to account for the environmental impact of the nuclear fuel cycle in individual power plant licensing decisions. The AEC provided notice and an opportunity for written comment, along with a legislative-style oral hearing, but did not permit discovery or cross-examination. Based on this proceeding, the AEC adopted a rule quantifying the environmental effects. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) challenged the rule. In a separate licensing case, an intervenor group (Saginaw) raised vague objections related to energy conservation as an alternative to a proposed nuclear plant. The AEC’s licensing board declined to explore the issue in detail, finding the intervenors had not met a threshold burden of presenting clear and specific contentions. The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit consolidated the cases and held that the AEC’s rulemaking procedures were inadequate for such a complex, technical issue and that its refusal to fully consider the energy conservation alternative was arbitrary. It vacated both the rule and the license, effectively requiring the agency to employ more formal, trial-type procedures.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: May a reviewing court impose procedural requirements upon an agency engaged in informal rulemaking beyond the minimum requirements set forth in § 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act?
No. The Court of Appeals fundamentally misperceived the role of a reviewing Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur si
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
May a reviewing court impose procedural requirements upon an agency engaged in informal rulemaking beyond the minimum requirements set forth in § 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act?
Conclusion
Vermont Yankee serves as a cornerstone of administrative law, establishing a strong Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi
Legal Rule
Absent constitutional constraints or extremely compelling circumstances, administrative agencies are free to Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo con
Legal Analysis
Justice Rehnquist, writing for a unanimous Court, held that the D.C. Circuit's Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris ni
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Flash Summary
- A reviewing court cannot impose procedural requirements on an agency’s informal
