An informal agency action can be important because it warns regulated entities that the agency may engage in formal rulemaking if its informal policy is ignored.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Informal agency actions, such as guidance documents or policy statements, can signal to regulated entities the agency's current priorities or interpretations of existing regulations. Ignoring these signals may indeed prompt the agency to undertake formal rulemaking to enforce compliance, making informal actions significant despite their non-binding nature.

An Informal Agency Action Can Be Important Because It Warns