U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Sheldon Whitehouse, Cynthia Lummis, and Mark Kelly have collectively urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enhance its environmental review requirements. In a letter addressed to David Wright, Chairman of the NRC, the senators emphasized the need for the Commission to prioritize voting on implementing amendments related to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 National Environmental Policy Act and align with congressional intent as expressed in the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act.
The senators highlighted that “the NRC’s current environmental review process was established to review legacy nuclear reactor designs and needs to be modernized.” They pointed out that the existing process leads to unnecessary delays and increased costs for both the agency and applicants. The recommended updates by NRC staff would potentially streamline licensing processes, improving predictability while saving time and resources.
The letter also called for support of an ambitious schedule for completing rulemaking associated with updating regulations. The senators noted that Section 506 of the ADVANCE Act mandates efficient reviews of power reactor applications through various measures like expanded use of categorical exclusions.
Additionally, they acknowledged recent efforts by NRC staff in publishing a “Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Licensing of New Nuclear Reactors” aimed at streamlining environmental reviews. The public comment period on this statement concluded last December, and it is now awaiting further action from the Commission.
In closing their letter, the senators expressed hope that future votes will reflect congressional intent as embodied in relevant legislative acts. They underscored that prioritizing updates now could lead to significant efficiencies in future licensing actions.
