Revision of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures

Document 2025-12383 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Energy in the Federal Register on July 3, 2025, with an effective date of July 3, 2025. This interim final rule substantially revises Department of Energy's (DOE) regulations containing its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures, which were promulgated to supplement now-rescinded Council on Environmental Quality regulations. Mindful that the Supreme Court recently clarified NEPA is a "purely procedural statute," DOE will henceforth maintain the remainder of its procedures in a procedural guidance document separate from the Code of Federal Regulations (DOE NEPA implementing procedures). Thus, DOE is revising 10 CFR part 1021 to contain only administrative and routine actions excepted from NEPA review in appendix A, its existing categorical exclusions in appendix B, related requirements, and a provision for emergency circumstances. DOE is revising appendix A in 10 CFR part 1021 to align with DOE's new NEPA implementing procedures that it is publishing separate from the Code of Federal Regulations. Appendix A in 10 CFR part 1021 (formerly categorical exclusions) are now administrative and routine actions that do not require NEPA review. DOE is also revising 10 CFR part 205, subpart W, to remove the NEPA procedures from its Presidential permit regulations. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/03/2025-12383/revision-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-procedures.

No. Document 2025-12383 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.