This bill adds a new Section 113 to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 focused on post-shutdown decommissioning activities reports (PSDARs) and related actions. It requires a licensee (and a transferee, if applicable) to consult with the host State, other States within 50 miles, and Tribal or State units with land jurisdiction within 50 miles before submitting a PSDAR or transferring a license for a covered nuclear facility. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) must receive the PSDAR or license-transfer application after consultation, make the materials publicly available (with limited redactions for trade secrets or national security), and solicit public comments for at least 90 days and hold at least two public meetings in the host State.
The host State has 60 days to file a statement of support, conditional support with specific recommended changes, or nonsupport. The Commission must decide whether a proposed PSDAR or license transfer is adequate based on protection of human health and the environment, safety and security, the likelihood the licensee/transferee can implement the plan on schedule, compliance with applicable law, and whether the licensee/transferee has or will have needed funds. The Commission generally must issue a decision document within one year after submission (with limited extensions for unforeseen circumstances). If the host State conditionally supports a plan, the Commission must include recommended changes unless doing so would violate law or the total costs substantially outweigh benefits. The Commission must also require compliance with State air, water, soil, or radiological standards when those State laws are more restrictive than federal requirements.
The bill creates grant programs to support local community advisory boards that communicate about decommissioning. It authorizes a short-term grant program (eligible entities are States or Indian Tribes with plants decommissioned or decommissioning during the first three years after enactment) and a long-term grant program funded by a Community Advisory Board Fund. The long-term fund is financed by certifications that licensees pay $500,000 per affected power plant (or per plant that contains relevant generation units) into the Fund when submitting certain PSDARs. The NRC must issue regulations within 180 days to implement the fund and fee certification rules. The short-term grant program includes an authorized appropriation of $12,500,000 for fiscal years 2026–2028.
The bill also amends economic development and assistance authorities: it extends certain Public Works and Economic Development Act provisions to 2034, allows additional capacity-building activities, and makes the Federal share 100% for certain grants to nuclear host communities that are small, rural, or disadvantaged. It directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a noncompetitive grant program for local governments that contain stranded nuclear waste (spent fuel in dry casks or pools) with grant amounts equal to $15 per kilogram of spent fuel; appropriations for those grants are authorized as needed for fiscal years 2026–2035.
Finally, the bill requires creation of a host community economic recovery account in the Treasury for each covered facility. Licensees must transfer amounts so that each account holds at least 2 percent of the combined balance of the decommissioning trust and the account (or comparative financial assurance amounts) and, for facilities already decommissioning when the bill is enacted, must deposit a one-time 2 percent transfer within one year. Amounts in these accounts are available to the Secretary (Commerce) without further appropriation to provide grants to host communities for economic development planning or to carry out economic development strategies.
If you represent a licensee or prospective transferee: you must consult with affected States, Tribal governments, and local units within 50 miles before submitting a PSDAR or seeking a license transfer. You may need to pay certification fees into the Community Advisory Board Fund and transfer funds to a host community economic recovery account. You must show that you have funds and plans to implement decommissioning.
If you work for or live in a host State, Tribal government, or nearby local community: you gain formal consultation rights, a 90-day public comment period, and at least two public meetings in the host State when a covered PSDAR or license transfer is submitted. Your State can submit support, conditional support, or nonsupport to the NRC within 60 days. Communities may apply for grants to support community advisory boards and may receive economic recovery grants from host community accounts.
If your local government contains stranded waste (spent fuel in casks or pools): you are eligible for a noncompetitive grant from the Department of Energy. The grant amount is set at $15 per kilogram of spent fuel at the eligible plant, with one grant per fiscal year per eligible local government.
For the general public: proposed PSDARs and license-transfer applications will be made public (with limited redactions) and there will be a defined public comment and meeting process in the host State.
Short-term grant program: the bill authorizes $12,500,000 to the NRC for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to support community advisory boards (amounts remain available for 5 years after enactment).
Community Advisory Board Fund: funded by licensee certifications required by NRC regulations. The bill directs a certification amount of $500,000 per nuclear power plant (or per plant containing covered generation units) to be paid to the Commission for deposit into the Fund when certain PSDARs are submitted. The Fund will be used by the NRC, without further appropriation, to make long-term grants for community advisory boards.
Stranded waste assistance: grants equal to $15 per kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored at the eligible plant. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Energy to receive such appropriations as are necessary for fiscal years 2026–2035 to carry out this program.
Host community economic recovery accounts: licensees must transfer amounts so each account balance is not less than 2 percent of the sum of the decommissioning trust plus the account balance (or comparable financial assurance amounts). For facilities already decommissioning at enactment, licensees must transfer 2 percent of the trust balance into the account within one year. Amounts in these accounts are available to the Secretary of Commerce without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation for grants to host communities.
Other administrative timing and rulemaking: the Commission must promulgate related regulations within 180 days in several places; decision deadlines and other timing rules are set in the bill (e.g., Commission decision document generally within one year, host State response within 60 days).
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.