Worker Safety and Health Requirements To Support Reform of Nuclear Reactor Testing; Reopening of Public Comment Period

What it does

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.

The Energy Department's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

1 part of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

10 CFR 851

Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).

Before this

1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 1901-AB74 since Jan. 1, 2025.

• Jan. 21, 2026 Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comment. Worker Safety and Health Requirements To Support Reform of Nuclear Reactor Testing

What happens next and when

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.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket DOE-HQ-2025-0243 on Regulations.gov
• Title 10 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register