Proposed Rule2026-03866
Worker Safety and Health Requirements To Support Reform of Nuclear Reactor Testing; Reopening of Public Comment Period
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 26, 2026
Effective
January 21, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
On January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") published a notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR") seeking to amend certain regulations for worker safety and health to expedite the review, approval, and deployment of advanced reactors under DOE's jurisdiction, including qualified test reactors in DOE's reactor pilot program consistent with a recent Executive order. The NOPR provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by February 20, 2026. By letter dated February 4, 2026, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations ("AFL- CIO") requested a 45-day extension to the comment period. DOE has reviewed this request and is re-opening the public comment period until March 23, 2026.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9498-9499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03866]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 851
[DOE-HQ-2025-0243]
RIN 1901-AB74
Worker Safety and Health Requirements To Support Reform of
Nuclear Reactor Testing; Reopening of Public Comment Period
AGENCY: Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of public comment
period.
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SUMMARY: On January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'')
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') seeking to amend
certain regulations for worker safety and health to expedite the
review, approval, and deployment of advanced reactors under DOE's
jurisdiction, including qualified test reactors in DOE's reactor pilot
program consistent with a recent Executive order. The NOPR provided an
opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by
February 20, 2026. By letter dated February 4, 2026, the American
Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (``AFL-
CIO'') requested a 45-day extension to the comment period. DOE has
reviewed this request and is re-opening the public comment period until
March 23, 2026.
DATES: The comment period for the NOPR published on January 21, 2026
(91 FR 2498) is reopened. Written comments, data and information
regarding the NOPR will be accepted on or before March 23, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> under docket
number DOE-HQ-2025-0243. Follow the instructions for submitting
comments.
Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal
Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts (if a
public meeting is held), comments, and other supporting documents/
materials, is available for review at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. All
documents in the docket are listed in the <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> index.
However, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly
available, such as information that is exempt from public disclosure.
The docket web page can be found at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/docket/DOE-HQ-2025-0243">www.regulations.gov/docket/DOE-HQ-2025-0243</a>. The docket web page contains instructions on how to
access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daryn Moorman, U.S. Department of
Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 1955 N Freemont Avenue, Idaho Falls,
ID 83415, Telephone: (208) 526-0111, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0f373a3e6c6062626a617b7c4f666b216b606a21686079"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="09313c386a6664646c677d7a49606d276d666c276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 21, 2026, DOE published a notice
of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') that would amend its regulations for
worker safety and health contained in 10 CFR part 851 (Worker Safety
and Health Program). The proposal sought to revise these regulations to
enable DOE to expedite the review, approval, and deployment of advanced
reactors under DOE's jurisdiction, including qualified test reactors in
DOE's reactor pilot program. These actions would be made consistent
with Executive Order 14301, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the
Department of Energy, which was issued on May 23, 2025. (90 FR 22591)
The NOPR sought comment on the proposal by February 20, 2026
By letter dated February 4, 2026, DOE received a request from the
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
(``AFL-CIO'') seeking a 45-day extension to the comment period. The
AFL-CIO asserted that the potential effects of DOE's proposed
rulemaking are complex in nature and that additional time is needed for
careful review and coordination across the organization's various
affiliates to establish thorough and informed comments.\1\
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\1\ DOE is also aware of at least two other requests for
additional time.
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DOE has reviewed the request and considered the benefit of allowing
interested parties additional time to submit comments regarding the
January 2026 NOPR. Accordingly, while DOE is confident that the AFL-CIO
and other commenters had sufficient time to provide complete comments
by February 20th, DOE is reopening the comment period until March 23,
2026.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on February
24, 2026, by Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy. That document with the
original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative
purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the
Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer
has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic
format for publication, as an official document of the Department of
[[Page 9499]]
Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect
of this document upon publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2026-03866 Filed 2-25-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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