U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) has reintroduced a bill to streamline nuclear technology regulatory permitting and licensing.
“We need an all-of-the-above strategy, one that I have advocated for a long time, and one that has worked in our state of Illinois,” Rep. Kinzinger said on March 4. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation, and I will continue to advocate for and support this vital resource.”
The Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act, H.R. 1578, would continue the modernization effort at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by establishing updated procedures and timelines for environmental and safety evaluations necessary to make timely permitting and licensing decisions, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s office.
“At a time when we so desperately need to work together and meet in the middle to solve our problems, energy policymaking is no exception,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “The recent weather storms have been a great reminder of how important it is to have a diverse energy supply, as well as a reliable source of baseload power.
“We need to have a safety net when other sources struggle — and time and time again, a substantial portion of that safety net has been nuclear power,” he said.
If enacted, H.R. 1578 also would expand fee reforms to cover nuclear fuel facilities, ensure improved cost-effective regulation of the nuclear supply chain, and bolster the efficiency of advice to the NRC by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, according to the bill summary.
In 2019, Rep. Kinzinger’s Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy (NUKE) Act, H.R 1320, became law as part of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, S. 512, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to spur American innovation and leadership in nuclear technologies, according to the congressman’s staff.
The just-reintroduced H.R. 1578 aims to reinforce these efforts by ensuring American nuclear power has a safe and strong future, his staff said.