Charleston Leader

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, engaged in a hearing on the nomination of Christopher Hanson to continue serving on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). During the hearing, Ranking Member Capito emphasized the necessity of the NRC working in person to fulfill its mission, raised concerns about Hanson's decisions as NRC Chairman, and pushed for improvements in the NRC's capacity to efficiently approve nuclear reactor license applications.

Discussing the importance of in-person work at the NRC, Ranking Member Capito expressed her disagreement with reducing in-person work hours, stating, "You know this is one of my priorities…as I mentioned in my opening statement, is the staff telework decision." She highlighted the challenges faced by government agencies in transitioning back to full-time in-person work.

Questioning Hanson's record as NRC Chairman, Capito pointed out discrepancies in decision-making, stating, “You've stated and you restated again that reliability is critical in terms of decision-making because it ensures a level of predictability and certainty." She raised concerns about the alignment of Hanson's decisions with the principles of reliability and predictability he had previously emphasized.

Seeking a commitment to enhance the NRC's efficiency, Ranking Member Capito presented a statement regarding the NRC staff's proposed roadmap to increase capacity and efficiency. She sought reassurance from Hanson, stating, “I'm going to kind of read a statement. I just want to get your commitment that I have this right." Capito emphasized the need for the NRC staff to update the roadmap to achieve specific goals by the end of the year.

In response, NRC Chairman Hanson acknowledged the need for improvements, stating, “I don't know if the 12 applications at a time, senator. I'm not trying to walk that back." He expressed a commitment to working with the staff to enhance the NRC's review processes and achieve set goals for efficiency and capacity.

The dialogue between Ranking Member Capito and NRC Chairman Hanson underscored the critical importance of increased capacity and efficiency at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the future of U.S. energy and environmental policies.