DOE has revised its procedures for implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to include a categorical exclusion for advanced nuclear reactors.
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
February 2, 2026
minute read time
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has revised its procedures for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation, published on the DOE website outside of the Code of Federal Regulations. This revision adds a categorical exclusion for authorization, siting, construction, operation, reauthorization, and decommissioning of advanced nuclear reactors.
For more information, see Categorical Exclusion for Advanced Nuclear Reactors.
For information on previous revisions to DOE's NEPA implementing procedures, see DOE NEPA Program History and DOE NEPA Rulemaking (2025).