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DOE Stays Fossil Fuel Restrictions for Federal Buildings Until September 1, 2026

The Department of Energy is further staying the compliance date for the Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations (CER) provisions in 10 CFR part 433, subpart B, and 10 CFR part 435, subpart B until September 1, 2026. This stay extends the prior delay published May 5, 2025, while DOE reviews implementation guidance for consistency with current Administration energy policies. Federal agencies are not required to comply with the energy performance standards during this extended stay period.

FAA Supersedes AD 2025-22-02: H-Stab Anti-Yaw Steady Fitting Block Bolt Checks and Replacement Required for Regional Jet Fleet

The FAA has issued a final Airworthiness Directive (AD 2026-08-02) superseding AD 2025-22-02 for MHI RJ Aviation ULC regional jet models. The AD continues the existing requirement for repetitive torque checks of the horizontal stabilizer (H-stab) anti-yaw steady fitting block bolts and adds a new requirement to replace the H-stab anti-yaw steady fitting block hardware. The unsafe condition—loose or missing bolts that combined with bird strike or gust loading may result in loss of the H-stab and loss of airplane control—affects 597 U.S.-registered airplanes. Compliance costs are estimated at up to $510 per product for retained actions and $622 per product for new actions.

Final Rule Removes Outdated 15 CFR Part 1300 Export Technology Reporting Regulation

The Department of Commerce removes 15 CFR Part 1300 (Subtitle B, Chapter XIII) from the Code of Federal Regulations, eliminating an obsolete export technology reporting requirement. The regulation was originally promulgated by the defunct East-West Foreign Trade Board in 1975 under section 411 of the Trade Act of 1974, whose statutory authority was repealed in 1998 and 1999. The rule is effective April 17, 2026.

Pollock Fishing Closure, Statistical Area 610, Gulf of Alaska

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska effective April 17, 2026 through September 1, 2026. The action establishes a directed fishing allowance of 3,959 metric tons (mt) and sets aside 150 mt as incidental catch. The closure prevents exceeding the 2026 A season allowance of the 4,109 mt total allowable catch (TAC) for pollock in this statistical area.

FAA Establishes Summer 2026 Scheduling Limits at Chicago O'Hare International Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Order FAA-2013-0259 establishing a temporary scheduling limit of 2,708 operations per day at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) for Summer 2026 (March 29 through October 24, 2026). The limit takes effect May 17, 2026, and is intended to manage airfield capacity constraints from ongoing construction and competitive scheduling dynamics between major carriers. The FAA acted under 49 U.S.C. 41722 authority following delay reduction meetings, determining that this level will maximize capacity without worsening delays beyond Summer 2025 performance.

Establishment of Restricted Areas R-5305A-R-5305C at Camp Lejeune and R-5307A-R-5307C at Cherry Point, NC

The FAA has issued a final rule establishing six new restricted areas of airspace: R-5305A, R-5305B, and R-5305C near Camp Lejeune, NC; and R-5307A, R-5307B, and R-5307C near Cherry Point, NC. The restricted areas are designed to connect existing restricted area complexes (R-5003, R-5004, and R-5306) to contain hazardous military training activities including weapon deployment, laser use, and artillery operations within contiguous airspace. The rule takes effect July 9, 2026.

STRL Personnel Demonstration Project Probationary and Trial Period Waiver Amendments

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering issued a notice amending Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) Personnel Demonstration Project Federal Register Notices by updating waiver citations for probationary and trial periods. The amendments reflect changes resulting from Executive Order 14284, which repealed Civil Service Rule 2.4 and established Civil Service Rule 11. The 24 designated STRLs across the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Defense Health Agency are affected. Implementation begins no earlier than April 21, 2026.

Duke Energy Catawba Spent Fuel Storage Environmental Assessment

The NRC has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for an exemption request from Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke) regarding spent fuel storage conditions at Catawba Nuclear Station (CNS) in South Carolina. The exemption request concerns one already loaded and nine planned transportable storage canisters (TSCs) in the MAGNASTOR® storage system, which deviate from the terms of Certificate of Compliance No. 1031, Amendment No. 15 due to a fabrication deficiency in neutron absorber panels identified by NAC International. The EA and FONSI are available as of April 21, 2026.

Environmental Assessment and FONSI for Constellation Energy Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Exemptions

The NRC has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) regarding Constellation Energy Generation LLC's exemption requests for nuclear decommissioning trust funds at Braidwood, Byron, and LaSalle stations in Illinois. The exemptions would allow the transfer of certain NDT earnings to subaccounts for broader decommissioning activities including spent fuel management and site restoration, while maintaining required principal for radiological decommissioning.

Annual Update to Fee Schedule for Use of Government Lands by Hydropower Licensees

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued its annual update to the fee schedule in 18 CFR Part 11, Appendix A, establishing per-acre rental fees for hydropower licensees occupying government lands for Fiscal Year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The updated schedule lists fees by county across all U.S. states, with fees ranging from $1.95/acre/year (Alaska Aleutian Islands) to $97.83/acre/year (Arkansas Benton). The rule is effective April 21, 2026 and applies to all hydropower licensees operating on federal lands under Part I of the Federal Power Act.

Special Conditions Skyryse Robinson R66 Helicopter Fly-by-Wire Flight Control System Annunciation

The FAA proposes special conditions for the Robinson Model R66 helicopter as modified by Skyryse with a digital fly-by-wire flight control system, replacing mechanical flight controls. The existing airworthiness standards under 14 CFR Part 27 do not adequately address this novel design feature, requiring additional safety standards including an annunciation requirement for pilot awareness. Comments are due by June 5, 2026.

License Amendment Requests – Catawba, McGuire, Salem, Callaway Nuclear Stations – No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission received and is considering three amendment requests for license modifications at Catawba Nuclear Station (Units 1 and 2), McGuire Nuclear Station (Units 1 and 2), Salem Nuclear Generating Station (Unit Nos. 1 and 2), and Callaway Plant (Unit No. 1). For each request, the NRC proposes to determine that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC) under 10 CFR 50.92. The notice invites public comment and requests for hearings within specified deadlines.

UI Urbana-Champaign Construction Permit Application Notice

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is providing public notice of receipt and availability of a construction permit application from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for a single-unit research reactor designated the U. of I. KRONOS™ Micro Modular Reactor. The application, filed March 27, 2026 pursuant to Section 104c. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and 10 CFR Part 50, proposes a high-temperature gas-cooled design utilizing solid tri-structural isotropic fuel to be located on the UI campus in Champaign, Illinois. The NRC staff is currently conducting its acceptance review; if accepted for docketing, subsequent Federal Register notices will address public participation provisions.