Recent Updates to Federal Environmental and Natural Resource Regulations
On-Demand Webinar | Regulatory Uncertainty and Linear Infrastructure Projects: Where Are We and What’s Ahead?
On-Demand Webinar | Linear Infrastructure Redux: Adapting Your Projects to Meet the New Regulatory Climate
On-Demand Webinar | The New NEPA Regulations: A Practical Guide to What You Need to Know
How Trump's Infrastructure Plan Impacts the Energy Industry
The landmark nuclear legislation will help drive development, innovation, investment and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies. The ADVANCE Act takes substantial steps to help expedite the development and deployment...more
The guidance will provide clarity and a compliance path to companies seeking permission to launch or reenter space-based nuclear technologies. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s newly released Advisory Circular AC...more
In April 2023, Idaho National Laboratory (“INL”), a U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) National Laboratory, published a report entitled “Recommendations to Improve the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactor Licensing and...more
Now, more than ever, energy industry participants are seeking creative pathways to minimize the cost and schedule for deployments of carbon-free electric generation facilities. Enter the latest trend: coal-to-nuclear...more
First, the Commission voted to not conduct a formal rulemaking on the NRC’s current environmental review process under 10 CFR Part 51. Separately, the staff proposed alternative timelines for a rulemaking to revise the...more
The NRC staff recently released its long-awaited policy paper on Environmental Justice (EJ) reform at the agency (SECY-22-0025, “Systematic Review of How Agency Programs, Policies, and Activities Address Environmental...more
Several NRC Staff recommendations emphasize increased communication with stakeholders, including creating an NRC Federal Advisory Committee on Environmental Justice issues. However, it is unclear how this committee or other...more
The Commission recently approved the NRC Staff’s recommendation to pursue a 24-month schedule for updating the agency’s Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (LR GEIS). The Commission’s...more
On February 24, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued three unusual decisions pertaining to the agency’s review of subsequent license renewal (SLR) applications. The Commission orders reversed a previous...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved publication in the Federal Register of a proposed rule, “Regulatory Improvements for Production and Utilization Facilities Transitioning to Decommissioning” on November 3,...more
On September 27, the NRC held a public meeting where it invited speakers to present on their experience with environmental justice (EJ) issues and also to hear recommendations on the agency’s approach when reevaluating how to...more
On July 9, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Federal Register notice, Systematic Assessment for How the NRC Addresses Environmental Justice in Its Programs, Policies, and Activities. Comments on the notice are...more
In a recently issued NRC adjudicatory decision, the Commission reaffirmed its regulatory interpretation allowing power reactor licensees applying for subsequent license renewal (SLR), and the NRC Staff reviewing these...more
In an important step furthering recent commitments to modernize its environmental review process, the NRC has requested input on its plan to update and expand the field of categorical exclusions in its regulations...more
The NRC recently published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) seeking public comments on possible amendments to its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations on categorical exclusions. Comments are due...more
Last week the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment on categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires that...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Staff has sought the Commission’s approval to initiate a rulemaking to update the agency’s environmental protection regulations for licensing activities....more
Overview of the current energy mix, and the place in the market of different energy sources - Due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. total energy consumption in 2020 is on pace to decline for a second straight...more
Yesterday U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA) 2020. ...more
On September 21, 2020, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced that it has approved the development of a generic environmental impact statement (GEIS) for the construction and operation of advanced nuclear reactors...more
On July 15, 2020, the White House Council on Environmental Quality implemented sweeping amendments to modernize and streamline NEPA environmental reviews. These amendments stand to have a trickle-down effect on the nuclear...more
The NRC on April 30 published a notice of its intent to conduct scoping and gather information necessary to develop a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for small-scale advanced nuclear reactors (ANRs). ...more
The NRC has declared its intent to streamline the environmental review process for advanced nuclear reactors in an important step that will facilitate the construction and operation of these clean energy sources. The NRC...more