2700-AE80 202510 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 2700 National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is amending its existing regulations related to environmental quality at 14 CFR 1216 as directed by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) per Memorandum from Executive Office of the President for Heads of Federal Departments and Agencies to meet Executive Orders requirements.

These amendments include making conforming amendments in 14 CFR subpart 1216.1 to accurately reflect the current positional structure and management authority for environmental program policy at NASA. As a result of Executive Order 14154, CEQ has removed its NEPA implementing regulations from the CFR, which became effective April 11, 2025.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No Deregulatory 14 CFR 1216 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. Yes

The need for this amendment is to ensure NASA's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations align with current federal mandates, specifically those from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and recent Executive Orders (EOs). The current regulations at 14 CFR 1216 are outdated. This rulemaking will update NASA's procedures for implementing NEPA, ensuring the agency's NEPA program operates efficiently and in full accordance with the law.

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Directed by the Council on Environmental Quality per Memorandum from Executive Office of the President for Heads of Federal Departments and Agencies to meet Executive Orders requirements and remove references to rescinded regulations.

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Keeping the outdated regulations would result in operational inefficiencies. This is not a viable option. A single rulemaking is the most efficient and preferred method. It addresses all necessary updates at once, providing a clear, consistent framework for NASA's NEPA program.

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Updating NEPA regulations may yield cost savings for NASA. These savings may come from improved efficiency, accelerating project approvals, and mitigating risk, which minimizes the likelihood of legal challenges and project delays.

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Benefits listed above will not be achieved.

]]> Interim Final Rule 07/00/2026 No None No No No Nick Murdock 2700 National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA 321 338-6816 nicholas.a.murdock@nasa.gov NASA Headquarters, Office of Strategic Infrastructure, 300 E Street, SW, Washington DC 20546