Securing America's Nuclear Waste Act
This bill addresses storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the United States.
Specifically, the bill requires
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8572 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8572
To require the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary
of the Treasury, to conduct a study, and submit to Congress a report,
on an auction process or other system for selecting and entering into
contracts with non-Federal entities for consolidated interim storage
facilities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 9, 2020
Mr. Rouda (for himself, Mr. Neal, and Mr. Levin of California)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary
of the Treasury, to conduct a study, and submit to Congress a report,
on an auction process or other system for selecting and entering into
contracts with non-Federal entities for consolidated interim storage
facilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Securing America's Nuclear Waste
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101
et seq.) dictated that the Federal Government would identify
repositories and begin disposal of high-level radioactive waste
and spent nuclear fuel beginning not later than January 31,
1998.
(2) It has been 60 years since the first civilian nuclear
power reactor became operational, and the United States still
lacks a long-term management solution for the disposal of spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.
(3) There are approximately 100 sites across at least 34
States where spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste is currently stored.
(4) The need to develop a long-term nuclear waste storage
plan for the United States is well recognized by many experts,
institutions, and organizations, including the Department of
Energy and the Nuclear Energy Institute.
(5) With the future of the repository at the Yucca Mountain
site in doubt, providing interim storage for spent nuclear fuel
currently in repose at sites of both decommissioned and active
civilian nuclear power reactors has become an imperative.
(6) The purpose of a consolidated interim storage facility
is to begin the process of accepting spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste, while also developing and
perfecting protocols and procedures for transportation and
storage of such spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste.
(7) In recent decades, Federal agencies have used auctions
and other market mechanisms to reduce costs to taxpayers and
allocate resources in efficient and transparent ways.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Consolidated interim storage facility.--The term
``consolidated interim storage facility'' means a facility for
the consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste generated by multiple persons or the
Secretary of Energy pending the disposal of the spent nuclear
fuel and high-level radioactive waste in a repository.
(2) High-level radioactive waste.--The term ``high-level
radioactive waste'' has the meaning given the term in section 2
of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101).
(3) Repository.--The term ``repository'' has the meaning
given the term in section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of
1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101).
(4) Spent nuclear fuel.--The term ``spent nuclear fuel''
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101).
SEC. 4. STUDY ON RISKS OF CURRENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a
report on the risks to current storage locations for spent nuclear
fuel, including spent nuclear fuel from civilian nuclear power
reactors, and high-level radioactive waste, including--
(1) risks that are related to global weather patterns and
geography, including--
(A) extreme weather events (including hurricanes,
tornadoes, and other storms), fires, drought, flooding
(whether or not the spent nuclear fuel is located in a
floodplain); and
(B) earthquakes and proximity to fault lines;
(2) site specific risks, including--
(A) whether a site stores its spent nuclear fuel
and high-level radioactive waste in spent fuel pools or
dry casks;
(B) the location of spent nuclear fuel and high-
level radioactive waste within the overall layout of
the site;
(C) how much spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste is stored on-site;
(D) whether any applicable civilian nuclear power
reactor is decommissioned, active, or another status;
and
(E) the population of the surrounding area; and
(3) a description of how implementation of consolidated
interim storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste could address the risks described in
paragraphs (1) and (2).
SEC. 5. STUDY ON ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall conduct a study,
and submit to Congress a report, on the economic benefits of
consolidated interim storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste, including economic benefits associated with--
(1) job growth; and
(2) redeveloping sites of decommissioned civilian nuclear
power reactors.
SEC. 6. STUDY ON PROCESS FOR CONTRACTS FOR CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE
FACILITIES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the
Secretary of the Treasury, shall conduct a study, and submit to
Congress a report, on an auction process or other system for selecting
and entering into contracts with non-Federal entities for consolidated
interim storage facilities--
(1) that are located at a site without an operating nuclear
reactor; and
(2) for which a non-Federal entity will hold a license
issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
(b) Inclusions.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of the
Treasury, shall develop or identify an auction process or other system
described in such subsection--
(1) that includes--
(A) a competitive bidding system; and
(B) appropriate bidding methodology;
(2) under which the Secretary of Energy may not select and
enter into a contract with a non-Federal entity unless--
(A) the consolidated interim storage facility with
respect to which the contract will apply has been
licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
(B) the Secretary of Energy has approval to store
high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel
resulting from civilian nuclear activities to which the
Department of Energy holds title at such consolidated
interim storage facility from each of--
(i) the State in which the facility is to
be located;
(ii) any unit of local government with
jurisdiction over the area in which the
facility is to be located; and
(iii) any impacted Indian Tribe; and
(C) the Secretary of Energy or the non-Federal
entity has conducted 1 or more public hearings in the
vicinity of the site where the consolidated interim
storage facility is to be located and in at least 1
other location within the State in which such facility
is to be located to solicit public comments and
recommendations.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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