NRC Withdraws Reactor Licensing Guidance Doc; HHS Re-Establishes VA-State Benefits Match

NRC Withdraws Outdated Environmental Guidance From Reactor Modernization Rule

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is correcting a notice it published in the Federal Register on July 16, 2026, concerning the modernization of reactor licensing, safety oversight, and siting practices — a rulemaking initiated to address sections 5(f), 5(h), and 5(i) of Executive Order 14300, and to contribute to adding additional generation to the electrical grid. The correction, effective July 27, 2026, withdraws Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4037, "Preparation of Environmental Reports for Nuclear Power Stations" (Proposed Revision 5 to Regulatory Guide 4.2; ADAMS Accession No. ML25268A122), which had been included in the original proposed rule published at 91 FR 44560.

The NRC states that DG-4037 contains outdated and incorrect information and must therefore be removed from the rulemaking package. Stakeholders are directed to disregard DG-4037 when evaluating the proposed rule. The correction deletes two specific references from the July 16 document: a description of DG-4037 on page 44650 and its entry in the Availability of Documents table on page 44652. The NRC notes it will consider whether revised or consolidated implementing guidance is warranted in the future. The rulemaking docket is NRC-2025-0975. Affected regulations span 10 CFR parts 2, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 71, and 100.

HHS Re-Establishes VA-to-State Data Match for Public Assistance Eligibility

The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through ACF Tech, is re-establishing a data-matching program between the Department of Veterans Affairs and State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) participating in the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) Program. The program's legal authority rests on sections 402(a), 1137, and 1903(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. secs. 602(a), 1320b-7, and 1396b(r)).

Under the program, VA serves as the source agency, providing SPAAs with compensation and pension data on a periodic basis. The Department of Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Services, Do Not Pay (DNP) unit, conducts the actual matching of SPAA and VA data and provides associated support. On an approximately quarterly basis, VA will provide DNP with a file containing VA benefit record data for most VA benefit and compensation recipients. SPAAs will supply DNP with a non-Federal file containing identifying information — including Social Security Numbers — about public assistance clients. DNP will compare SSNs across the two files and return match results to each SPAA, encompassing data elements such as award type, award status, gross amount, net award amount, payment amount, and beneficiary identifying information, among others.

The stated purposes of the match are twofold: to allow SPAAs to determine eligibility for benefits under the Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and general assistance programs; and to help relevant veterans better understand similar benefits available through the VA that may be better alternatives. The notice states the program "helps ensure fair and equitable treatment in the delivery of benefits attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government."

The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) governs the program's operation. Required compliance steps include obtaining Data Integrity Board approval of a Computer Matching Agreement at each participating Federal agency, providing advance notice to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget, and verifying match findings before taking any adverse action against an individual — including suspending, terminating, reducing, or making a final denial of benefits. The matching program will be conducted for an initial term of 18 months, running from approximately October 2026 through May 2027, and may be renewed for 1 additional year within 3 months of expiration if the parties make no changes and certify compliance.

UCR Board Convenes Open Meeting July 29

The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors will hold a public meeting on July 29, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 West Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203. The meeting will also be accessible via conference call and via Zoom Meeting and Screenshare.

The agenda includes review and possible Board action on proposed amendments to the UCR Agreement, following recommendations from the UCR Governance Task Force; renewal of contracts for compliance specialists with Seikosoft (2 FTEs) and DSL Transportation Services, Inc. (2 FTEs); a request from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to have the UCR Plan sponsor enforcement training at CVSA's upcoming Annual Conference and Exhibition; and approval of minutes from the March 26, 2026, UCR Board meeting.

What to Watch

• July 27, 2026 — NRC correction withdrawing DG-4037 takes effect; stakeholders evaluating the reactor licensing modernization proposed rule should disregard the withdrawn guidance document.
• August 21, 2026 — Deadline for public comments on the HHS/ACF re-established VA-SPAA data-matching program notice.
• October 2026 (approx.) — Earliest commencement of the HHS/VA-SPAA matching program, no sooner than 30 days after publication of the notice, provided no comments warrant a change.

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