Federal Register #NASA-2026-0100

NASA Updates NEPA Implementation Procedures via Interim Final Rule

NASA has issued an interim final rule updating its procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): - Government Buyer: - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - No OEMs or vendors are involved, as this is a regulatory update, not a procurement - Key Regulatory Updates: - Rescinds and repromulgates NASA's NEPA regulations to align with recent changes - Updates the list of categorical exclusions (actions not expected to significantly affect the environment) - Clarifies procedures for preparing environmental documents, including environmental impact statements and assessments - Details NASA's approach to scoping, tiering, and combining environmental documents - Clarifies roles of cooperating and participating agencies in the NEPA process - Notable Requirements: - Adoption of new procedures to avoid administrative confusion - Provides certainty for action proponents and non-Federal project sponsors - No products, part numbers, or quantities are requested, as this is not a procurement action

Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is rescinding and repromulgating its regulations related to environmental quality to update the regulations to codify changes to NEPA. This interim final rule aims to avoid confusion related to NASA's administrative process and provide procedural certainty for preparing environmental documents under NEPA. It also updates NASA's list of existing categorical exclusions. The rule is effective August 17, 2026, with a comment period open until July 31, 2026.

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