US nuclear regulators removed a decades-old environmental review requirement

US nuclear regulators have removed a rule that required environmental reviews for certain licensing and administrative actions. This means these actions will now proceed without needing to demonstrate they do not significantly affect the environment.

For decades, any action related to nuclear licensing, even minor administrative ones, required a formal environmental review. This rule change removes that step for actions deemed not to significantly impact the environment. It means the process for certain approvals will be faster, though it does not change requirements for applicants or licensees themselves.