§ 51.20. Criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental impact statements.
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/us/cfr/t10/s§ 51.20·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Link to an amendment published at 91 FR 15793, Mar. 30, 2026.
(a)Licensing and regulatory actions requiring an environmental impact statement shall meet at least one of the following criteria:
(1)The proposed action is a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
(2)The proposed action involves a matter which the Commission, in the exercise of its discretion, has determined should be covered by an environmental impact statement.
(b)The following types of actions require an environmental impact statement or a supplement to an environmental impact statement:
(1)Issuance of a limited work authorization or a permit to construct a nuclear power reactor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant under part 50 of this chapter, or issuance of an early site permit under part 52 of this chapter.
(2)Issuance or renewal of a full power or design capacity license to operate a nuclear power reactor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant under part 50 of this chapter, or a combined license under part 52 of this chapter.
(3)Issuance of a permit to construct or a design capacity license to operate or renewal of a design capacity license to operate an isotopic enrichment plant pursuant to part 50 of this chapter.
(4)Conversion of a provisional operating license for a nuclear power reactor, testing facility or fuel reprocessing plant to a full term or design capacity license pursuant to part 50 of this chapter if a final environmental impact statement covering full term or design capacity operation has not been previously prepared. (5)-(6) [Reserved]
(7)Issuance of a license to possess and use special nuclear material for processing and fuel fabrication, scrap recovery, or conversion of uranium hexafluoride pursuant to part 70 of this chapter.
(8)Issuance of a license to possess and use source material for uranium milling or production of uranium hexafluoride pursuant to part 40 of this chapter.
(9)Issuance of a license pursuant to part 72 of this chapter for the storage of spent fuel in an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at a site not occupied by a nuclear power reactor, or for the storage of spent fuel or high-level radioactive waste in a monitored retrievable storage installation (MRS).
(10)Issuance of a license for a uranium enrichment facility.
(11)Issuance of renewal of a license authorizing receipt and disposal of radioactive waste from other persons pursuant to part 61 of this chapter.
(12)Issuance of a license amendment pursuant to part 61 of this chapter authorizing
(i)closure of a land disposal site,
(ii)transfer of the license to the disposal site owner for the purpose of institutional control, or
(iii)termination of the license at the end of the institutional control period.
(13)Issuance of a construction authorization and license pursuant to part 60 or part 63 of this chapter.
(14)Any other action which the Commission determines is a major Commission action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. As provided in § 51.22(b), the Commission may, in special circumstances, prepare an environmental impact statement on an action covered by a categorical exclusion. [49 FR 9381, Mar. 12, 1984, as amended at 53 FR 31681, Aug. 19, 1988; 53 FR 24052, June 27, 1988; 54 FR 15398, Apr. 18, 1989; 54 FR 27870, July 3, 1989; 57 FR 18392, Apr. 30, 1992; 66 FR 55790, Nov. 2, 2001; 72 FR 49509, Aug. 28, 2007]
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- NoticesFinding of no significant impact with associated environmental assessment; final issuance
- NoticesDraft environmental impact statement; public meetings and request for comment
- NoticesNotice; issuance
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; final issuance
- NoticesRecord of decision; issuance
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesNotice
- NoticesRequest for comment
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesNotice of Intent (NOI)
- NoticesDraft supplemental environmental impact statement; request for comment
- NoticesNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- NoticesFinding of no significant impact with associated environmental assessment; final issuance
- NoticesNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- NoticesExemption
- NoticesFinal rule
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesNotice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement
- NoticesFinding of no significant impact with associated environmental assessment; final issuance
- NoticesNotice; request for comment
- NoticesNotice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting
- Rules and RegulationsNotice; public scoping meeting and request for comment
- Rules and RegulationsDirect final rule; confirmation of effective date
- NoticesIntent to prepare environmental impact statement and conduct scoping process; public meeting and request for comment
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesFinding of no significant impact; final issuance
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesExemption
- UnknownFinal rule
- NoticesFinal rule
- NoticesFinding of no significant impact with associated environmental assessment; final issuance
- Rules and RegulationsNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesNotice; request for comment
- Proposed RulesFinal rule
- Rules and RegulationsUpdate and final revision of Waste Confidence Decision
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; final issuance
- NoticesDraft supplemental environmental impact statement; request for comment
- NoticesNotice; issuance
- NoticesSolicitation of public comment
- UnknownFinal rule
- NoticesFinding of no significant impact with associated environmental assessment; final issuance
- NoticesAvailability of draft supplemental environmental impact statement; request for comment
- Rules and RegulationsFinal rule
- NoticesNotice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement
- NoticesNotice; issuance
- NoticesIntent to conduct scoping process and prepare environmental impact statement; public scoping meeting and request for comment
- NoticesNotice; issuance
- Rules and RegulationsExemptions; issuance
- Rules and RegulationsFinal supplemental environmental impact statement; issuance
- NoticesNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesFinal supplemental environmental impact statement; issuance
- Proposed RulesNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- Rules and RegulationsNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- NoticesEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance
- NoticesNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- Rules and RegulationsFinal supplemental environmental impact statement; issuance
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§ 51.20
Criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental impact statements.
Fed. Reg.×101
Cites 0Cited by 101 across 1 source