[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 512 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 512

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
             To modernize the regulation of nuclear energy.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Energy 
Innovation and Modernization Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
            TITLE I--ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTORS AND USER FEES

Sec. 101. Nuclear Regulatory Commission user fees and annual charges 
                            through fiscal year 2020.
Sec. 102. Nuclear Regulatory Commission user fees and annual charges 
                            for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year 
                            thereafter.
Sec. 103. Advanced nuclear reactor program.
Sec. 104. Baffle-former bolt guidance.
Sec. 105. Evacuation report.
Sec. 106. Encouraging private investment in research and test reactors.
Sec. 107. Commission report on accident tolerant fuel.
Sec. 108. Report identifying best practices for establishment and 
                            operation of local community advisory 
                            boards.
Sec. 109. Report on study recommendations.
                           TITLE II--URANIUM

Sec. 201. Uranium recovery report.
Sec. 202. Pilot program for uranium recovery fees.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to provide--
            (1) a program to develop the expertise and regulatory 
        processes necessary to allow innovation and the 
        commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors;
            (2) a revised fee recovery structure to ensure the 
        availability of resources to meet industry needs without 
        burdening existing licensees unfairly for inaccurate workload 
        projections or premature existing reactor closures; and
            (3) more efficient regulation of uranium recovery.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Advanced nuclear reactor.--The term ``advanced nuclear 
        reactor'' means a nuclear fission or fusion reactor, including 
        a prototype plant (as defined in sections 50.2 and 52.1 of 
        title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date 
        of enactment of this Act)), with significant improvements 
        compared to commercial nuclear reactors under construction as 
        of the date of enactment of this Act, including improvements 
        such as--
                    (A) additional inherent safety features;
                    (B) significantly lower levelized cost of 
                electricity;
                    (C) lower waste yields;
                    (D) greater fuel utilization;
                    (E) enhanced reliability;
                    (F) increased proliferation resistance;
                    (G) increased thermal efficiency; or
                    (H) ability to integrate into electric and 
                nonelectric applications.
            (2) Advanced nuclear reactor fuel.--The term ``advanced 
        nuclear reactor fuel'' means fuel for use in an advanced 
        nuclear reactor or a research and test reactor, including fuel 
        with a low uranium enrichment level of not greater than 20 
        percent.
            (3) Agreement state.--The term ``Agreement State'' means 
        any State with which the Commission has entered into an 
        effective agreement under section 274 b. of the Atomic Energy 
        Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2021(b)).
            (4) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
        Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
            (5) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Nuclear 
        Regulatory Commission.
            (6) Conceptual design assessment.--The term ``conceptual 
        design assessment'' means an early-stage review by the 
        Commission that--
                    (A) assesses preliminary design information for 
                consistency with applicable regulatory requirements of 
                the Commission;
                    (B) is performed on a set of topic areas agreed to 
                in the licensing project plan; and
                    (C) is performed at a cost and schedule agreed to 
                in the licensing project plan.
            (7) Corporate support costs.--The term ``corporate support 
        costs'' means expenditures for acquisitions, administrative 
        services, financial management, human resource management, 
        information management, information technology, policy support, 
        outreach, and training, as those categories are described and 
        calculated in Appendix A of the Congressional Budget 
        Justification for Fiscal Year 2018 of the Commission.
            (8) Licensing project plan.--The term ``licensing project 
        plan'' means a plan that describes--
                    (A) the interactions between an applicant and the 
                Commission; and
                    (B) project schedules and deliverables in specific 
                detail to support long-range resource planning 
                undertaken by the Commission and an applicant.
            (9) Regulatory framework.--The term ``regulatory 
        framework'' means the framework for reviewing requests for 
        certifications, permits, approvals, and licenses for nuclear 
        reactors.
            (10) Requested activity of the commission.--The term 
        ``requested activity of the Commission'' means--
                    (A) the processing of applications for--
                            (i) design certifications or approvals;
                            (ii) licenses;
                            (iii) permits;
                            (iv) license amendments;
                            (v) license renewals;
                            (vi) certificates of compliance; and
                            (vii) power uprates; and
                    (B) any other activity requested by a licensee or 
                applicant.
            (11) Research and test reactor.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``research and test 
                reactor'' means a reactor that--
                            (i) falls within the licensing and related 
                        regulatory authority of the Commission under 
                        section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 
                        1974 (42 U.S.C. 5842); and
                            (ii) is useful in the conduct of research 
                        and development activities as licensed under 
                        section 104 c. of the Atomic Energy Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 2134(c)).
                    (B) Exclusion.--The term ``research and test 
                reactor'' does not include a commercial nuclear 
                reactor.
            (12) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (13) Standard design approval.--The term ``standard design 
        approval'' means the approval of a final standard design or a 
        major portion of a final design standard as described in 
        subpart E of part 52 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations 
        (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).
            (14) Technology-inclusive regulatory framework.--The term 
        ``technology-inclusive regulatory framework'' means a 
        regulatory framework developed using methods of evaluation that 
        are flexible and practicable for application to a variety of 
        reactor technologies, including, where appropriate, the use of 
        risk-informed and performance-based techniques and other tools 
        and methods.
            (15) Topical report.--The term ``topical report'' means a 
        document submitted to the Commission that addresses a technical 
        topic related to nuclear reactor safety or design.

            TITLE I--ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTORS AND USER FEES

SEC. 101. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION USER FEES AND ANNUAL CHARGES 
              THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2020.

    (a) In General.--Section 6101(c)(2)(A) of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 2214(c)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) amounts appropriated to the 
                        Commission for the fiscal year for activities 
                        related to the development of regulatory 
                        infrastructure for advanced nuclear reactor 
                        technologies, including activities required 
                        under section 103 of the Nuclear Energy 
                        Innovation and Modernization Act.''.
    (b) Repeal.--Effective October 1, 2020, section 6101 of the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 2214) is repealed.

SEC. 102. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION USER FEES AND ANNUAL CHARGES 
              FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER.

    (a) Annual Budget Justification.--
            (1) In general.--In the annual budget justification 
        submitted by the Commission to Congress, the Commission shall 
        expressly identify anticipated expenditures necessary for 
        completion of the requested activities of the Commission 
        anticipated to occur during the applicable fiscal year.
            (2) Restriction.--Budget authority granted to the 
        Commission for purposes of the requested activities of the 
        Commission shall be used, to the maximum extent practicable, 
        solely for conducting requested activities of the Commission.
            (3) Limitation on corporate support costs.--With respect to 
        the annual budget justification submitted to Congress, 
        corporate support costs, to the maximum extent practicable, 
        shall not exceed the following percentages of the total budget 
        authority of the Commission requested in the annual budget 
        justification:
                    (A) 30 percent for each of fiscal years 2021 and 
                2022.
                    (B) 29 percent for each of fiscal years 2023 and 
                2024.
                    (C) 28 percent for fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal 
                year thereafter.
    (b) Fees and Charges.--
            (1) Annual assessment.--
                    (A) In general.--Each fiscal year, the Commission 
                shall assess and collect fees and charges in accordance 
                with paragraphs (2) and (3) in a manner that ensures 
                that, to the maximum extent practicable, the amount 
                assessed and collected is equal to an amount that 
                approximates--
                            (i) the total budget authority of the 
                        Commission for that fiscal year; less
                            (ii) the budget authority of the Commission 
                        for the activities described in subparagraph 
                        (B).
                    (B) Excluded activities described.--The activities 
                referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii) are the following:
                            (i) Any fee relief activity, as identified 
                        by the Commission.
                            (ii) Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year 
                        to the Commission--
                                    (I) from the Nuclear Waste Fund 
                                established under section 302(c) of the 
                                Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 
                                U.S.C. 10222(c));
                                    (II) for implementation of section 
                                3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National 
                                Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
                                Year 2005 (50 U.S.C. 2601 note; Public 
                                Law 108-375);
                                    (III) for the homeland security 
                                activities of the Commission (other 
                                than for the costs of fingerprinting 
                                and background checks required under 
                                section 149 of the Atomic Energy Act of 
                                1954 (42 U.S.C. 2169) and the costs of 
                                conducting security inspections);
                                    (IV) for the Inspector General 
                                services of the Commission provided to 
                                the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
                                Board;
                                    (V) for research and development at 
                                universities in areas relevant to the 
                                mission of the Commission; and
                                    (VI) for a nuclear science and 
                                engineering grant program that will 
                                support multiyear projects that do not 
                                align with programmatic missions but 
                                are critical to maintaining the 
                                discipline of nuclear science and 
                                engineering.
                            (iii) Costs for activities related to the 
                        development of regulatory infrastructure for 
                        advanced nuclear reactor technologies, 
                        including activities required under section 
                        103.
                    (C) Exception.--The exclusion described in 
                subparagraph (B)(iii) shall cease to be effective on 
                January 1, 2031.
                    (D) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2029, the 
                Commission shall submit to the Committee on 
                Appropriations and the Committee on Environment and 
                Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on 
                Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
                of the House of Representatives a report describing the 
                views of the Commission on the continued 
                appropriateness and necessity of the funding described 
                in subparagraph (B)(iii).
            (2) Fees for service or thing of value.--In accordance with 
        section 9701 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission 
        shall assess and collect fees from any person who receives a 
        service or thing of value from the Commission to cover the 
        costs to the Commission of providing the service or thing of 
        value.
            (3) Annual charges.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B) and 
                except as provided in subparagraph (D), the Commission 
                may charge to any licensee or certificate holder of the 
                Commission an annual charge in addition to the fees 
                assessed and collected under paragraph (2).
                    (B) Cap on annual charges of certain licensees.--
                            (i) Operating reactors.--The annual charge 
                        under subparagraph (A) charged to an operating 
                        reactor licensee, to the maximum extent 
                        practicable, shall not exceed the annual fee 
                        amount per operating reactor licensee 
                        established in the final rule of the Commission 
                        entitled ``Revision of Fee Schedules; Fee 
                        Recovery for Fiscal Year 2015'' (80 Fed. Reg. 
                        37432 (June 30, 2015)), as may be adjusted 
                        annually by the Commission to reflect changes 
                        in the Consumer Price Index published by the 
                        Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of 
                        Labor.
                            (ii) Waiver.--The Commission may waive, for 
                        a period of 1 year, the cap on annual charges 
                        described in clause (i) if the Commission 
                        submits to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                        the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
                        of the Senate and the Committee on 
                        Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and 
                        Commerce of the House of Representatives a 
                        written determination that the cap on annual 
                        charges may compromise the safety and security 
                        mission of the Commission.
                    (C) Amount per licensee.--
                            (i) In general.--The Commission shall 
                        establish by rule a schedule of annual charges 
                        fairly and equitably allocating the aggregate 
                        amount of charges described in subparagraph (A) 
                        among licensees and certificate holders.
                            (ii) Requirement.--The schedule of annual 
                        charges under clause (i)--
                                    (I) to the maximum extent 
                                practicable, shall be reasonably 
                                related to the cost of providing 
                                regulatory services; and
                                    (II) may be based on the allocation 
                                of the resources of the Commission 
                                among licensees or certificate holders 
                                or classes of licensees or certificate 
                                holders.
                    (D) Exemption.--
                            (i) Definition of research reactor.--In 
                        this subparagraph, the term ``research 
                        reactor'' means a nuclear reactor that--
                                    (I) is licensed by the Commission 
                                under section 104 c. of the Atomic 
                                Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2134(c)) 
                                for operation at a thermal power level 
                                of not more than 10 megawatts; and
                                    (II) if licensed under subclause 
                                (I) for operation at a thermal power 
                                level of more than 1 megawatt, does not 
                                contain--
                                            (aa) a circulating loop 
                                        through the core in which the 
                                        licensee conducts fuel 
                                        experiments;
                                            (bb) a liquid fuel loading; 
                                        or
                                            (cc) an experimental 
                                        facility in the core in excess 
                                        of 16 square inches in cross-
                                        section.
                            (ii) Exemption.--Subparagraph (A) shall not 
                        apply to the holder of any license for a 
                        federally owned research reactor used primarily 
                        for educational training and academic research 
                        purposes.
    (c) Performance and Reporting.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop for the 
        requested activities of the Commission--
                    (A) performance metrics; and
                    (B) milestone schedules.
            (2) Delays in issuance of final safety evaluation.--The 
        Executive Director for Operations of the Commission shall 
        inform the Commission of a delay in issuance of the final 
        safety evaluation for a requested activity of the Commission by 
        the completion date required by the performance metrics or 
        milestone schedule under paragraph (1) by not later than 30 
        days after the completion date.
            (3) Delays in issuance of final safety evaluation exceeding 
        180 days.--If the final safety evaluation for the requested 
        activity of the Commission described in paragraph (2) is not 
        completed by the date that is 180 days after the completion 
        date required by the performance metrics or milestone schedule 
        under paragraph (1), the Commission shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees a timely report describing 
        the delay, including a detailed explanation accounting for the 
        delay and a plan for timely completion of the final safety 
        evaluation.
    (d) Accurate Invoicing.--With respect to invoices for fees 
described in subsection (b)(2), the Commission shall--
            (1) ensure appropriate review and approval prior to the 
        issuance of invoices;
            (2) develop and implement processes to audit invoices to 
        ensure accuracy, transparency, and fairness; and
            (3) modify regulations to ensure fair and appropriate 
        processes to provide licensees and applicants an opportunity to 
        efficiently dispute or otherwise seek review and correction of 
        errors in invoices for those fees.
    (e) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2021, the Commission 
shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on 
Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives a report describing the implementation of this section, 
including any impacts and recommendations for improvement.
    (f) Effective Date.--Except as provided in subsection (c), this 
section takes effect on October 1, 2020.

SEC. 103. ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTOR PROGRAM.

    (a) Licensing.--
            (1) Staged licensing.--For the purpose of predictable, 
        efficient, and timely reviews, not later than 270 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop 
        and implement, within the existing regulatory framework, 
        strategies for--
                    (A) establishing stages in the licensing process 
                for commercial advanced nuclear reactors; and
                    (B) developing procedures and processes for--
                            (i) using a licensing project plan; and
                            (ii) optional use of a conceptual design 
                        assessment.
            (2) Risk-informed licensing.--Not later than 2 years after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop 
        and implement, where appropriate, strategies for the increased 
        use of risk-informed, performance-based licensing evaluation 
        techniques and guidance for commercial advanced nuclear 
        reactors within the existing regulatory framework, including 
        evaluation techniques and guidance for the resolution of the 
        following:
                    (A) Applicable policy issues identified during the 
                course of review by the Commission of a commercial 
                advanced nuclear reactor licensing application.
                    (B) The issues described in SECY-93-092 and SECY-
                15-077, including--
                            (i) licensing basis event selection and 
                        evaluation;
                            (ii) source terms;
                            (iii) containment performance; and
                            (iv) emergency preparedness.
            (3) Research and test reactor licensing.--For the purpose 
        of predictable, efficient, and timely reviews, not later than 2 
        years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission 
        shall develop and implement strategies within the existing 
        regulatory framework for licensing research and test reactors, 
        including the issuance of guidance.
            (4) Technology-inclusive regulatory framework.--Not later 
        than December 31, 2027, the Commission shall complete a 
        rulemaking to establish a technology-inclusive, regulatory 
        framework for optional use by commercial advanced nuclear 
        reactor applicants for new reactor license applications.
            (5) Training and expertise.--As soon as practicable after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall provide 
        for staff training or the hiring of experts, as necessary--
                    (A) to support the activities described in 
                paragraphs (1) through (4); and
                    (B) to support preparations--
                            (i) to conduct pre-application 
                        interactions; and
                            (ii) to review commercial advanced nuclear 
                        reactor license applications.
            (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Commission to carry out this 
        subsection $14,420,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
        2024.
    (b) Report To Establish Stages in the Commercial Advanced Nuclear 
Reactor Licensing Process.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees a report for 
        expediting and establishing stages in the licensing process for 
        commercial advanced nuclear reactors that will allow 
        implementation of the licensing process by not later than 2 
        years after the date of enactment of this Act (referred to in 
        this subsection as the ``report'').
            (2) Coordination and stakeholder input.--In developing the 
        report, the Commission shall seek input from the Secretary, the 
        nuclear energy industry, a diverse set of technology 
        developers, and other public stakeholders.
            (3) Cost and schedule estimates.--The report shall include 
        proposed cost estimates, budgets, and timeframes for 
        implementing strategies to establish stages in the licensing 
        process for commercial advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
            (4) Required evaluations.--Consistent with the role of the 
        Commission in protecting public health and safety and common 
        defense and security, the report shall evaluate--
                    (A)(i) the unique aspects of commercial advanced 
                nuclear reactor licensing, including the use of 
                alternative coolants, operation at or near atmospheric 
                pressure, and the use of passive safety strategies;
                    (ii) strategies for the qualification of advanced 
                nuclear reactor fuel, including the use of computer 
                modeling and simulation and experimental validation; 
                and
                    (iii) for the purposes of predictable, efficient, 
                and timely reviews, any associated legal, regulatory, 
                and policy issues the Commission should address with 
                regard to the licensing of commercial advanced nuclear 
                reactor technologies;
                    (B) options for licensing commercial advanced 
                nuclear reactors under the regulations of the 
                Commission contained in title 10, Code of Federal 
                Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
                this Act), including--
                            (i) the development and use under the 
                        regulatory framework of the Commission in 
                        effect on the date of enactment of this Act of 
                        a licensing project plan that could establish--
                                    (I) milestones that--
                                            (aa) correspond to stages 
                                        of a licensing process for the 
                                        specific situation of a 
                                        commercial advanced nuclear 
                                        reactor project; and
                                            (bb) use knowledge of the 
                                        ability of the Commission to 
                                        review certain design aspects; 
                                        and
                                    (II) guidelines defining the roles 
                                and responsibilities between the 
                                Commission and the applicant at the 
                                onset of the interaction--
                                            (aa) to provide the 
                                        foundation for effective 
                                        communication and effective 
                                        project management; and
                                            (bb) to ensure efficient 
                                        progress;
                            (ii) the use of topical reports, standard 
                        design approval, and other appropriate 
                        mechanisms as tools to introduce stages into 
                        the commercial advanced nuclear reactor 
                        licensing process, including how the licensing 
                        project plan might structure the use of those 
                        mechanisms;
                            (iii) collaboration with standards-setting 
                        organizations to identify specific technical 
                        areas for which new or updated standards are 
                        needed and providing assistance if appropriate 
                        to ensure the new or updated standards are 
                        developed and finalized in a timely fashion;
                            (iv) the incorporation of consensus-based 
                        codes and standards developed under clause 
                        (iii) into the regulatory framework--
                                    (I) to provide predictability for 
                                the regulatory processes of the 
                                Commission; and
                                    (II) to ensure timely completion of 
                                specific licensing actions;
                            (v) the development of a process for, and 
                        the use of, conceptual design assessments; and
                            (vi) identification of any policies and 
                        guidance for staff that will be needed to 
                        implement clauses (i) and (ii);
                    (C) options for improving the efficiency, 
                timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of licensing reviews 
                of commercial advanced nuclear reactors, including 
                opportunities to minimize the delays that may result 
                from any necessary amendment or supplement to an 
                application;
                    (D) options for improving the predictability of the 
                commercial advanced nuclear reactor licensing process, 
                including the evaluation of opportunities to improve 
                the process by which application review milestones are 
                established and met; and
                    (E) the extent to which Commission action or 
                modification of policy is needed to implement any part 
                of the report.
    (c) Report To Increase the Use of Risk-Informed and Performance-
Based Evaluation Techniques and Regulatory Guidance.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees a report for 
        increasing, where appropriate, the use of risk-informed and 
        performance-based evaluation techniques and regulatory guidance 
        in licensing commercial advanced nuclear reactors within the 
        existing regulatory framework (referred to in this subsection 
        as the ``report'').
            (2) Coordination and stakeholder input.--In developing the 
        report, the Commission shall seek input from the Secretary, the 
        nuclear energy industry, technology developers, and other 
        public stakeholders.
            (3) Cost and schedule estimate.--The report shall include 
        proposed cost estimates, budgets, and timeframes for 
        implementing a strategy to increase the use of risk-informed 
        and performance-based evaluation techniques and regulatory 
        guidance in licensing commercial advanced nuclear reactors.
            (4) Required evaluations.--Consistent with the role of the 
        Commission in protecting public health and safety and common 
        defense and security, the report shall evaluate--
                    (A) the ability of the Commission to develop and 
                implement, where appropriate, risk-informed and 
                performance-based licensing evaluation techniques and 
                guidance for commercial advanced nuclear reactors 
                within existing regulatory frameworks not later than 2 
                years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                including policies and guidance for the resolution of--
                            (i) issues relating to--
                                    (I) licensing basis event selection 
                                and evaluation;
                                    (II) use of mechanistic source 
                                terms;
                                    (III) containment performance;
                                    (IV) emergency preparedness; and
                                    (V) the qualification of advanced 
                                nuclear reactor fuel; and
                            (ii) other policy issues previously 
                        identified; and
                    (B) the extent to which Commission action is needed 
                to implement any part of the report.
    (d) Report To Prepare the Research and Test Reactor Licensing 
Process.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees a report for preparing the 
        licensing process for research and test reactors within the 
        existing regulatory framework (referred to in this subsection 
        as the ``report'').
            (2) Coordination and stakeholder input.--In developing the 
        report, the Commission shall seek input from the Secretary, the 
        nuclear energy industry, a diverse set of technology 
        developers, and other public stakeholders.
            (3) Cost and schedule estimates.--The report shall include 
        proposed cost estimates, budgets, and timeframes for preparing 
        the licensing process for research and test reactors.
            (4) Required evaluations.--Consistent with the role of the 
        Commission in protecting public health and safety and common 
        defense and security, the report shall evaluate--
                    (A) the unique aspects of research and test reactor 
                licensing and any associated legal, regulatory, and 
                policy issues the Commission should address to prepare 
                the licensing process for research and test reactors;
                    (B) the feasibility of developing guidelines for 
                advanced reactor demonstrations and prototypes to 
                support the review process for advanced reactors 
                designs, including designs that use alternative 
                coolants or alternative fuels, operate at or near 
                atmospheric pressure, and use passive safety 
                strategies; and
                    (C) the extent to which Commission action or 
                modification of policy is needed to implement any part 
                of the report.
    (e) Report To Complete a Rulemaking To Establish a Technology-
Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Optional Use by Commercial Advanced 
Nuclear Reactor Technologies in New Reactor License Applications and To 
Enhance Commission Expertise Relating to Advanced Nuclear Reactor 
Technologies.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 30 months after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees a report (referred to 
        in this subsection as the ``report'') for--
                    (A) completing a rulemaking to establish a 
                technology-inclusive regulatory framework for optional 
                use by applicants in licensing commercial advanced 
                nuclear reactor technologies in new reactor license 
                applications; and
                    (B) ensuring that the Commission has adequate 
                expertise, modeling, and simulation capabilities, or 
                access to those capabilities, to support the evaluation 
                of commercial advanced reactor license applications, 
                including the qualification of advanced nuclear reactor 
                fuel.
            (2) Coordination and stakeholder input.--In developing the 
        report, the Commission shall seek input from the Secretary, the 
        nuclear energy industry, a diverse set of technology 
        developers, and other public stakeholders.
            (3) Cost and schedule estimate.--The report shall include 
        proposed cost estimates, budgets, and timeframes for developing 
        and implementing a technology-inclusive regulatory framework 
        for licensing commercial advanced nuclear reactor technologies, 
        including completion of a rulemaking.
            (4) Required evaluations.--Consistent with the role of the 
        Commission in protecting public health and safety and common 
        defense and security, the report shall evaluate--
                    (A) the ability of the Commission to complete a 
                rulemaking to establish a technology-inclusive 
                regulatory framework for licensing commercial advanced 
                nuclear reactor technologies by December 31, 2027;
                    (B) the extent to which additional legislation, or 
                Commission action or modification of policy, is needed 
                to implement any part of the new regulatory framework;
                    (C) the need for additional Commission expertise, 
                modeling, and simulation capabilities, or access to 
                those capabilities, to support the evaluation of 
                licensing applications for commercial advanced nuclear 
                reactors and research and test reactors, including 
                applications that use alternative coolants or 
                alternative fuels, operate at or near atmospheric 
                pressure, and use passive safety strategies; and
                    (D) the budgets and timeframes for acquiring or 
                accessing the necessary expertise to support the 
                evaluation of license applications for commercial 
                advanced nuclear reactors and research and test 
                reactors.

SEC. 104. BAFFLE-FORMER BOLT GUIDANCE.

    (a) Revisions to Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall publish any necessary 
revisions to the guidance on the baseline examination schedule and 
subsequent examination frequency for baffle-former bolts in pressurized 
water reactors with down-flow configurations.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees--
            (1) a report explaining any revisions made to the guidance 
        described in subsection (a); or
            (2) if no revisions were made, a report explaining why the 
        guidance, as in effect on the date of submission of the report, 
        is sufficient.

SEC. 105. EVACUATION REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report describing the actions the Commission 
has taken, or plans to take, to consider lessons learned since 
September 11, 2001, Superstorm Sandy, Fukushima, and other recent 
natural disasters regarding directed or spontaneous evacuations in 
densely populated urban and suburban areas.
    (b) Inclusions.--The report under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) describe the actions of the Commission--
                    (A) to consider the results from--
                            (i) the State-of-the-Art Reactor 
                        Consequence Analyses project; and
                            (ii) the current examination by the 
                        Commission of emergency planning zones for 
                        small modular reactors and advanced nuclear 
                        reactors; and
                    (B) to monitor international reviews, including 
                reviews conducted by--
                            (i) the United Nations Scientific Committee 
                        on the Effects of Atomic Radiation;
                            (ii) the World Health Organization; and
                            (iii) the Fukushima Health Management 
                        Survey; and
            (2) with respect to a disaster similar to a disaster 
        described in subsection (a), include information about--
                    (A) potential shadow evacuations in response to the 
                disaster; and
                    (B) what levels of self-evacuation should be 
                expected during the disaster, including outside the 10-
                mile evacuation zone.
    (c) Consultation Required.--The report under subsection (a) shall 
be prepared after consultation with--
            (1) the Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating 
        Committee;
            (2) State emergency planning officials from States that the 
        Commission determines to be relevant to the report; and
            (3) experts in analyzing human behavior and probable 
        responses to a radiological emission event.

SEC. 106. ENCOURAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage private 
investment in research and test reactors.
    (b) Research and Development Activities.--Section 104 c. of the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2134(c)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``and which are not 
        facilities of the type specified in subsection 104 b.'' and 
        inserting a period; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following: ``The Commission is 
        authorized to issue licenses under this section for utilization 
        facilities useful in the conduct of research and development 
        activities of the types specified in section 31 in which the 
        licensee sells research and testing services and energy to 
        others, subject to the condition that the licensee shall 
        recover not more than 75 percent of the annual costs to the 
        licensee of owning and operating the facility through sales of 
        nonenergy services, energy, or both, other than research and 
        development or education and training, of which not more than 
        50 percent may be through sales of energy.''.

SEC. 107. COMMISSION REPORT ON ACCIDENT TOLERANT FUEL.

    (a) Definition of Accident Tolerant Fuel.--In this section, the 
term ``accident tolerant fuel'' means a new technology that--
            (1) makes an existing commercial nuclear reactor more 
        resistant to a nuclear incident (as defined in section 11 of 
        the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014)); and
            (2) lowers the cost of electricity over the licensed 
        lifetime of an existing commercial nuclear reactor.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 
describing the status of the licensing process of the Commission for 
accident tolerant fuel.

SEC. 108. REPORT IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND 
              OPERATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS.

    (a) Best Practices Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress, and 
make publicly available, a report identifying best practices with 
respect to the establishment and operation of a local community 
advisory board to foster communication and information exchange between 
a licensee planning for and involved in decommissioning activities and 
members of the community that decommissioning activities may affect, 
including lessons learned from any such board in existence before the 
date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Contents.--The report described in subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a description of--
                    (A) the topics that could be brought before a local 
                community advisory board;
                    (B) how such a board's input could be used to 
                inform the decision-making processes of stakeholders 
                for various decommissioning activities;
                    (C) what interactions such a board could have with 
                the Commission and other Federal regulatory bodies to 
                support the board members' overall understanding of the 
                decommissioning process and promote dialogue between 
                the affected stakeholders and the licensee involved in 
                decommissioning activities; and
                    (D) how such a board could offer opportunities for 
                public engagement throughout all phases of the 
                decommissioning process;
            (2) a discussion of the composition of a local community 
        advisory board; and
            (3) best practices relating to the establishment and 
        operation of a local community advisory board, including--
                    (A) the time of establishment of such a board;
                    (B) the frequency of meetings of such a board;
                    (C) the selection of board members;
                    (D) the term of board members;
                    (E) the responsibility for logistics required to 
                support such a board's meetings and other routine 
                activities; and
                    (F) any other best practices relating to such a 
                local community advisory board that are identified by 
                the Commission.
    (c) Consultation.--In developing the report described under 
subsection (a), the Commission shall consult with any host State, any 
community within the emergency planning zone of an applicable nuclear 
power reactor, and any existing local community advisory board.
    (d) Public Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The consultation required under subsection 
        (c) shall include public meetings.
            (2) Public participation.--The public meetings under 
        paragraph (1) shall be conducted under the requirements 
        applicable to category 3 meetings under the policy statement of 
        the Commission entitled ``Enhancing Public Participation in NRC 
        Meetings; Policy Statement'' (67 Fed. Reg. 36920 (May 28, 
        2002)) (or a successor policy statement).
            (3) Number of meetings.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission shall conduct not 
                less than 10 public meetings under paragraph (1) in 
                locations that ensure geographic diversity across the 
                United States.
                    (B) Priority.--In determining locations in which to 
                conduct a public meeting under subparagraph (A), the 
                Commission shall give priority to States that--
                            (i) have a nuclear power reactor currently 
                        undergoing the decommissioning process; and
                            (ii) request a public meeting under this 
                        paragraph.
            (4) Written summary.--The report under subsection (a) shall 
        include a written summary of the public meetings conducted 
        under paragraph (1).

SEC. 109. REPORT ON STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall submit to Congress a report describing the status of 
addressing and implementing the recommendations contained in the 
memorandum of the Executive Director of Operations of the Commission 
entitled ``Tasking in Response to the Assessment of the Considerations 
Identified in a `Study of Reprisal and Chilling Effect for Raising 
Mission-Related Concerns and Differing Views at the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission''' and dated June 19, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No.: 
ML18165A296).

                           TITLE II--URANIUM

SEC. 201. URANIUM RECOVERY REPORT.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report describing--
            (1) the duration of uranium recovery license issuance and 
        amendment reviews; and
            (2) recommendations to improve efficiency and transparency 
        of uranium recovery license issuance and amendment reviews.

SEC. 202. PILOT PROGRAM FOR URANIUM RECOVERY FEES.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall--
            (1) complete a voluntary pilot initiative to determine the 
        feasibility of the establishment of a flat fee structure for 
        routine licensing matters relating to uranium recovery; and
            (2) provide to the appropriate congressional committees a 
        report describing the results of the pilot initiative under 
        paragraph (1).

            Passed the Senate December 20, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 512

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

             To modernize the regulation of nuclear energy.