Unknown. Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date
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/register/2025/08/26/2025-16286·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
--- schema: federal-register doc_type: fedreg source_file: FR-2025-08-26.xml --- 90 163 Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Contents Agriculture Agriculture Department See Food and Nutrition Service See Natural Resources Conservation Service NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41543 2025-16350 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection PROPOSED RULES Legal Standard Applicable to Supervisory Designation Proceedings, 41520-41523 2025-16352 Centers Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41564-41565 2025-16331 Centers Medicare Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program, 41566-41567 2025-16343 Coast Guard Coast Guard RULES Safety Zone: Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore, MD, 41506-41508 2025-16354 NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41588-41589 2025-16315 Commerce Commerce Department See International Trade Administration See National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration See National Telecommunications and Information Administration Defense Department Defense Department NOTICES Charter Amendments, Establishments, Renewals and Terminations:
Defense Policy Board; Federal Advisory Committees, 41550 2025-16326 Education Department Education Department NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Foreign Schools Eligibility Criteria Apply to Participate in Title IV HEA Programs, 41550-41551 2025-16345 Generic Clearance for Federal Student Aid Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Focus Groups Master Plan, 41551 2025-16346 Required Information for Annual Improper Payment Estimation, 41552 2025-16348 Energy Department Energy Department See Federal Energy Regulatory Commission See Southwestern Power Administration Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Agency RULES Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units:
Temporary-Use Incinerators and Air Curtain Incinerators Used in Disaster Recovery, 41508-41516 2025-16360 Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Review and Renewal of Eligibility for Application-Specific Allowances, 41676-41724 2025-16357 PROPOSED RULES Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Approvals and Promulgations: California; Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program, 41525-41530 2025-16325 Federal Aviation Federal Aviation Administration PROPOSED RULES Airworthiness Directives:
ATR—GIE Avions de Transport Regional Airplanes, 41523-41525 2025-16319 NOTICES Petition for Exemption; Summary: Agri Spray Drones LLC, 41629-41630 2025-16278 Leidos, Inc., 41628-41629 2025-16284 Tactical Electronics and Military Supply LLC, 41629 2025-16282 Federal Communications Federal Communications Commission RULES Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, 41726-41756 2025-16332 Promoting the Integrity and Security of Telecommunications Certification Bodies, Measurement Facilities, and the Equipment Authorization Program;
Correction, 41517-41518 2025-16285 Removal of Obsolete Regulations, 41518-41519 2025-16351 PROPOSED RULES Modernization of the Nation's Alerting Systems, 41530-41542 2025-16333 NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41561-41562 2025-16287 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Consumer Protection and Accessibility Advisory Committee, 41562 2025-16342 Federal Energy Federal Energy Regulatory Commission NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41557-41558 2025-16303 Application: Northern States Power Co., 41553-41554, 41557 2025-16301 2025-16302 2025-16305 Pacific Gas and Electric Co., 41557 2025-16306 Combined Filings, 41554-41555, 41558 2025-16317 2025-16318 Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Green Mountain Power Corp., 41558-41559 2025-16298 Jurisdictional Inquiry: Green Mountain Power Corp., 41552-41553 2025-16304 Licenses; Exemptions, Applications, Amendments, etc.:
Virginia Electric and Power Co. dba Dominion Energy Virginia, Allegheny Generating Co., and Bath County Energy, LLC, 41554 2025-16299 Request Under Blanket Authorization: ANR Pipeline Co., 41555-41557 2025-16300 Federal Maritime Federal Maritime Commission NOTICES Revocation of Exemptions Granted to Certain Controlled Carriers, 41562-41563 2025-16283 Federal Motor Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration NOTICES Exemption Application: Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation;
Emergency Safety Solutions, 41630-41632 2025-16310 Food and Drug Food and Drug Administration NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Substances Generally Recognized as Safe: Notifications and Convening Panels, 41579-41581 2025-16268 Determination of Regulatory Review Period for Purposes of Patent Extension: Iqirvo, 41569-41570 2025-16265 Drug Products not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness: Heparin Sodium in Sodium Chloride in Plastic Container (Heparin Sodium), 41572-41573 2025-16349 Patent Extension Regulatory Review Period:
Camzyos; Correction, 41579 2025-16273 Lumisight, 41567-41568 2025-16266 Nemluvio, 41581-41583 2025-16267 Ohtuvayre, 41570-41572 2025-16272 Piasky, 41576-41577 2025-16274 Sofdra, 41573-41574 2025-16275 Voranigo, 41583-41584 2025-16271 Yorvipath, 41578-41579 2025-16269 Zunveyl, 41574-41576 2025-16270 Food and Nutrition Food and Nutrition Service NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Development of Nutrition Education Messages and Products for the General Public, 41543-41545 2025-16308 Foreign Assets Foreign Assets Control Office RULES Syrian Sanctions Regulations, 41505-41506 2025-16324 NOTICES Sanctions Action, 41632-41633 2025-16264 Geological Geological Survey NOTICES 2025 Draft List of Critical Minerals, 41591-41593 2025-16311 Health and Human Health and Human Services Department See Centers for Disease Control and Prevention See Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services See Food and Drug Administration See Indian Health Service See National Institutes of Health RULES Terminating National Institutes of Health Minority Biomedical Research Support Program and Rescinding the Program's Related Regulation, 41516-41517 2025-16321 NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals, 41584-41585 2025-16295 Homeland Homeland Security Department See Coast Guard NOTICES Determination Pursuant to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, 41589-41591 2025-16307 Indian Health Indian Health Service NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Addendum to Declaration for Federal Employment, Indian Health Service, Child Care and Indian Child Care Worker Positions, 41585-41586 2025-16341 Interior Interior Department See Geological Survey NOTICES Request for Information:
Regulatory Reform, 41593-41594 2025-16327 International Trade Adm International Trade Administration NOTICES Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod From the People's Republic of China, 41547-41548 2025-16344 Scope Ruling Applications, 41546-41547 2025-16276 International Trade Com International Trade Commission NOTICES Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From China and Vietnam, 41595-41597 2025-16339 Investigations;
Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Smart Wearable Devices, Systems, and Components Thereof, 41594-41595 2025-16316 Maritime Maritime Administration NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Request for Waiver of Service Obligation, Request for Deferment of Service Obligation, and Application for Review, 41632 2025-16347 Merit Merit Systems Protection Board NOTICES Privacy Act; Systems of Records, 41598-41600 2025-16314 Privacy Act;
Systems of Records; Rescindment, 41597-41598 2025-16313 National Archives National Archives and Records Administration NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Freedom of Information Act Advisory Committee, 41600-41601 2025-16297 National Institute National Institutes of Health NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Generic Clearance for National Cancer Institute Resources, Software and Data Sharing Forms, 41587-41588 2025-16280 Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.:
Center for Scientific Review, 41588 2025-16281 National Human Genome Research Institute, 41588 2025-16226 National Library of Medicine, 41586-41587 2025-16279 National Oceanic National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 41548-41549 2025-16338 2025-16355 National Telecommunications National Telecommunications and Information Administration NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: 2025 National Telecommunications and Information Administration Spectrum Policy Symposium, 41549-41550 2025-16291 National Resources Natural Resources Conservation Service NOTICES Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.:
Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee, 41545-41546 2025-16309 Nuclear Regulatory Nuclear Regulatory Commission RULES Duration of Design Certifications, 41503-41505 2025-16286 Postal Regulatory Postal Regulatory Commission NOTICES New Postal Products, 41601-41603 2025-16323 2025-16335 Public Inquiry: Classification of First-Class Package Service Product, 41602 2025-16322 Presidential Documents Presidential Documents EXECUTIVE ORDERS America by Design Initiative;
Establishment (EO 14338), 41757-41760 2025-16396 Securities Securities and Exchange Commission NOTICES Application: ISQ OpenInfra Income Fund, et al., 41618 2025-16289 Self-Regulatory Organizations; Proposed Rule Changes: Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc., 41624-41628 2025-16294 Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc., 41619-41622 2025-16296 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., 41603-41611 2025-16293 Nasdaq PHLX LLC, 41636-41673 2025-16290 NYSE Texas, Inc., 41622-41624 2025-16288 The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, 41611-41618 2025-16292 Small Business Small Business Administration NOTICES Disaster Declaration:
Arizona, 41628 2025-16329 Southwestern Southwestern Power Administration NOTICES Rate Order: No. SWPA-88; Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project, 41559-41561 2025-16340 Transportation Department Transportation Department See Federal Aviation Administration See Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration See Maritime Administration Treasury Treasury Department See Foreign Assets Control Office Veteran Affairs Veterans Affairs Department NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities;
Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Application For Veterans Affairs Life Insurance, 41634 2025-16337 Pension Claim Questionnaire for Farm Income, 41633 2025-16336 Statement of Disappearance, 41633-41634 2025-16334 Separate Parts In This Issue Part II Securities and Exchange Commission, 41636-41673 2025-16290 Part III Environmental Protection Agency, 41676-41724 2025-16357 Part IV Federal Communications Commission, 41726-41756 2025-16332 Part V Presidential Documents, 41757-41760 2025-16396 Reader Aids Consult the Reader Aids section at the end of this issue for phone numbers, online resources, finding aids, and notice of recently enacted public laws.
To subscribe to the Federal Register Table of Contents electronic mailing list, go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USGPOOFR/subscriber/new, enter your e-mail address, then follow the instructions to join, leave, or manage your subscription. 90 163 Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Rules and Regulations NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Part 52 [NRC-2025-0018] RIN 3150-AL26 Revising the Duration of Design Certifications AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC)is confirming the effective date of September 15, 2025, for the direct final rule published in the **Federal Register** on July 2, 2025. This direct final rule amended the NRC's regulations to revise the duration of design certifications (DCs). This action replaced the 15-year duration for DCs with a 40-year duration period, both for existing DCs currently in effect and generically for future DCs. This direct final rule did not change the date of issuance for existing DCs ( *i.e.,* the start date by which an existing DC may be referenced remains unchanged). This direct final rule also incorporated a minor editorial correction. DATES: The effective date of September 15, 2025, for the direct final rule published July 2, 2025 (90 FR 28869), is confirmed. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2025-0018 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly available information related to this action by any of the following methods: • *Federal Rulemaking website:* Go to *https://www.regulations.gov* and search for Docket ID NRC-2025-0018. Address questions about NRC dockets to Helen Chang; telephone: 301-415-3228; email: *Helen.Chang@nrc.gov.* For technical questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • *NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS):* You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at *https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.* To begin the search, select “Begin ADAMS Public Search.” For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room
(PDR)reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email to *PDR.Resource@nrc.gov.* The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time it is mentioned in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. • *NRC's PDR:* The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to *PDR.Resource@nrc.gov* or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Doyle, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-3748, email: *Daniel.Doyle@nrc.gov;* or Jordan Glisan, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, telephone: 301-415-3478, email: *Jordan.Glisan@nrc.gov.* Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background On July 2, 2025 (90 FR 28869), the NRC published a direct final rule amending its regulations in part 52 of title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations* to revise the duration of design certifications. In the direct final rule, the NRC stated that if no significant adverse comments were received, the direct final rule would become effective on September 15, 2025. The NRC received and docketed four comment submissions on the companion proposed rule (90 FR 28911; July 2, 2025). Electronic copies of the comments can be obtained from the federal rulemaking website *https://www.regulations.gov* under Docket ID NRC-2025-0018 and are also available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML25209A465, ML25211A180, ML25211A187, and ML25217A008. As explained in the July 2, 2025, direct final rule, the NRC would withdraw the direct final rule only if it received a significant adverse comment. A significant adverse comment is a comment where the commenter explains why the rule would be inappropriate, challenges its underlying premise or approach, or shows why it would be ineffective or unacceptable without a change. A comment is adverse and significant if:
(1)The comment opposes the rule and provides a reason sufficient to require a substantive response in a notice-and-comment process. For example, a substantive response is required when:
(a)The comment causes the NRC staff to reevaluate (or reconsider) its position or conduct additional analysis;
(b)The comment raises an issue serious enough to warrant a substantive response to clarify or complete the record; or
(c)The comment raises a relevant issue that was not previously addressed or considered by the NRC staff.
(2)The comment proposes a change or an addition to the rule, and it is apparent that the rule would be ineffective or unacceptable without incorporation of the change or addition; or
(3)The comment causes the NRC staff to make a change (other than editorial) to the rule. For the reasons discussed in more detail in Section II, “Public Comment Analysis,” of this document, none of the comments contained in the submissions are considered significant adverse comments. II. Public Comment Analysis The NRC evaluated the comments against the criteria described in the direct final rule and determined that none of the comments submitted on the proposed rule are significant adverse comments. The public comments received on this action did not warrant any additions or changes to the final rule. The NRC is not making substantive changes to the rule; it is apparent that the rule is effective and acceptable as proposed, without the need for a substantive change or addition. The comments did not raise a relevant issue that was not previously addressed or considered by the NRC, and the comments did not cause the NRC to either
(1)reevaluate or reconsider its position, or
(2)conduct additional analyses. The comment submissions from ClearPath (ADAMS Accession No. ML25209A465) and The Breakthrough Institute (ADAMS Accession No. ML25211A180) did not oppose the rule. The comment submissions from Andrew Kalukin (ADAMS Accession No. ML25211A187) and the anonymous commenter (ADAMS Accession No. ML25217A008) opposed the rule, but they did not meet the criteria for significant adverse comments; however, the NRC is taking this opportunity to respond to these comments to clarify information about the direct final rule. The following paragraphs summarize each individual comment from Andrew Kalukin and the anonymous commenter followed by the NRC response. *Comment 1:* The commenter opposes extending the design certification period from 15 to 40 years, expressing concern that too many nuclear plants are obsolete in their safety technology, such as engineering to withstand ground motion. The commenter also expresses concern about the number of safety violations and near misses at nuclear plants. *NRC Response:* The NRC disagrees with this comment. The comment does not provide sufficient information to identify obsolete safety technology. Nuclear power plants are designed and built to withstand earthquakes and other natural hazards, and the NRC continues to examine new seismic information as it becomes available. Safety violations at nuclear power plants are dispositioned through the NRC's inspection and enforcement programs in a manner intended to reflect the seriousness of the violation and the circumstances involved. The NRC made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment. *Comment 2:* The commenter asserts that there is an insufficient basis for extending the duration of standard design certifications, arguing that this change would undermine the regulatory structure of Title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations.* The commenter states that extending the certification period by more than a factor of two would exceed the NRC's current experience with design certifications, and the agency has not adequately evaluated or discussed the potential implications of this extension. The commenter states that this change would delay compliance with safety requirements, such as those related to aircraft impact assessments, which were previously determined by the NRC to provide a substantial increase in public health and safety protections. The commenter also asserts that the issue finality provisions applicable to DCs limit the NRC's ability to require updates and improvements to certified designs during the approval period, whereas shorter renewal periods offer more frequent opportunities for changes to be made during subsequent renewal periods. The commenter asserts that the direct final rule could reduce regulatory flexibility and create inefficiencies. *NRC Response:* The NRC disagrees with this comment. The NRC considered all relevant implications of the amendments made by this direct final rule. The **Federal Register** notice for the direct final rule discusses how the amendments cause no reduction in safety or security. Section IV, “Discussion,” explains that the NRC has processes to address potential safety or security issues outside of the renewal process, including, among other ways, by making generic changes to DC rules or plant-specific changes by Commission order. With respect to the commenter's concern regarding aircraft impact assessments, each DC rule affected by this direct final rule does comply with the NRC's aircraft impact assessment regulations. This includes the AP1000 design, which was amended to address the NRC's aircraft impact assessment rule in 2011 (76 FR 82079; December 30, 2011). Regarding the commenter's concern about the issue finality provisions, the NRC can effectively update DC rules even though they do not need to be renewed as often. This is explained in the **Federal Register** notice for the direct final rule and in this document. The NRC has also successfully updated DC rules before, even with issue finality provisions in place, including changes to address the NRC's aircraft impact assessment regulations. The issue finality provisions will not prevent the NRC from taking action to address safety or security concerns. In fact, the criteria for requiring design changes during a DC renewal review (found in 10 CFR 52.59(b)(1)-(b)(3)) are encompassed by the issue finality criteria for amending a DC during the term of the DC (found in 10 CFR 52.63(a)(1)). Also, as reflected in 10 CFR 52.63(a)(1), any person may petition to amend a DC, and the Commission may amend a DC on its own motion. To the extent the commenter objects to the NRC's issue finality provisions, these provisions were designed to appropriately balance important factors, including regulatory stability, flexibility, and efficiency, and are outside the scope of this rulemaking. The NRC made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment. *Comment 3:* The commenter criticizes the NRC's use of the direct final rulemaking process, stating that it was inappropriate and lacked sufficient transparency. *NRC Response:* The NRC disagrees with this comment. The NRC uses the direct final rule process for regulatory amendments that are unlikely to be controversial. The direct final rule process allows an agency to issue a rule without having to go through the review process twice ( *i.e.,* at the proposed and final rule stages) if there are no significant adverse comments, while at the same time offering the public the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. The NRC made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment. *Comment 4:* Addressing the NRC's rationale concerning regulatory burden, the commenter argues that the agency has not proven that the current certification duration imposes an unnecessary regulatory burden. The commenter maintains that the renewal process provides benefits that would be lost or diminished because it allows for regular updates to designs in response to new safety requirements. *NRC Response:* The NRC disagrees with this comment. The **Federal Register** notice for the direct final rule discusses how the amendments reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens with no reduction in safety or security. Section IV, “Discussion,” explains that
(1)the 15-year certification period did not allow for sufficient time for operating experience to accumulate to provide new insights in a renewal application, and thus, resulted in inefficient use of resources both on the part of the NRC and the applicant; and
(2)that the NRC retains other means of ensuring that codified DCs and the plants referencing them continue to meet safety and security requirements (90 FR 28869, 28870-871; July 2, 2025). In addition, Section VII, “Regulatory Analysis,” describes how the rule is estimated to result in averted costs of approximately $56.7 million in 2024 dollars to the NRC, licensees, and applicants over the analysis period (90 FR 28869, 28871; July 2, 2025). The NRC made no changes to the rule as a result of this comment. In summary, the NRC did not receive any significant adverse comments and therefore, this direct final rule will become effective as scheduled. Dated: August 21, 2025. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Araceli Billoch Colon, Chief, Regulatory Analysis and Rulemaking Support Branch, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2025-16286 Filed 8-25-25; 8:45 am]
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