DOE has officially exempted new advanced nuclear projects from NEPA review. (NPR)
The agency’s POV: Because the designs feature "inherent safety systems," the lengthy public Environmental Impact Statements are unnecessary.
The announcement follows recent news that DOE also quietly rewrote internal safety rules, softening language on environmental protection from a mandatory "must" to a discretionary "if practical."
Between the lines: The policy shift is driven by a race to get three test reactors operational by July 4—a self-imposed timeline fueled by billions in Big Tech capital and the desperate need to power AI data centers.