[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4676 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4676

To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to direct 
 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to further utilize a risk-informed 
   and performance-based approach to licensing, to amend the hearing 
requirements for certain licenses under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 17, 2023

 Mr. Donalds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to direct 
 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to further utilize a risk-informed 
   and performance-based approach to licensing, to amend the hearing 
requirements for certain licenses under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Red Tape Reduction Act''.

SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY-INCLUSIVE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NUCLEAR 
              LICENSING.

    Section 3(14) of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization 
Act (42 U.S.C. 2215 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``where appropriate'' and inserting ``to 
        the maximum extent practicable''; and
            (2) by inserting ``(consistent with the document issued by 
        the Commission on June 22, 1998, and titled `White Paper on 
        Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Regulation' (SECY-98-144))'' 
        after ``risk-informed and performance-based techniques''.

SEC. 3. HEARINGS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW UNDER THE ATOMIC ENERGY ACT OF 
              1954.

    (a) In General.--Section 189a.(1)(A) of the Atomic Energy Act of 
1954 (42 U.S.C. 2239(a)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(A)(i) In any proceeding under this Act, for the 
                granting, suspending, revoking, or amending of any 
                license or construction permit, or application to 
                transfer control, and in any proceeding for the 
                issuance or modification of rules and regulations 
                dealing with the activities of licenses, and in any 
                proceeding for the payment of compensation, an award or 
                royalties under sections 153, 157, 186 c., or 188, the 
                Commission shall, subject to clause (ii), grant a 
                hearing upon the request of any person whose interest 
                may be affected by the proceeding, and shall admit any 
                such person as a party to such proceeding.
                    ``(ii) The Commission may only hold a hearing under 
                this subparagraph for an application for a license 
                under section 103 for a construction permit if the 
                Commission receives a request for a hearing under 
                clause (i) by a person described in such clause by not 
                later than 30 days after notice and publication of the 
                application for the license in the Federal Register.
                    ``(iii) The Commission shall hold a hearing after 
                30 days notice and publication once in the Federal 
                Register, on each application under section 104 b. for 
                a construction permit for a facility, and on any 
                application under section 104 c. for a construction 
                permit for a testing facility.
                    ``(iv) In cases where such a construction permit 
                has been issued following the holding of such a 
                hearing, the Commission may, in the absence of a 
                request therefor by any person whose interest may be 
                affected, issue an operating license or an amendment to 
                a construction permit or an amendment to an operating 
                license without a hearing, but upon 30 days notice and 
                publication once in the Federal Register of its intent 
                to do so.
                    ``(v) The Commission may dispense with such 30 days 
                notice and publication with respect to any application 
                for an amendment to a construction permit or an 
                amendment to an operating license upon a determination 
                by the Commission that the amendment involves no 
                significant hazards consideration.''.
    (b) Combined Licenses.--Section 189a.(1)(B)(i) of the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2239(a)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking 
``within 60 days'' and inserting ``within 45 days''.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON TERMS OF RENEWED NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
              LICENCES.

    Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report that describes--
            (1) the authority of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to 
        determine the terms of renewed licenses under the Atomic Energy 
        Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), including how the Nuclear 
        Regulatory Commission determines the maximum term for such 
        renewed licenses and in which circumstances the Nuclear 
        Regulatory Commission may issue a renewed licence for a term in 
        excess of 20 years; and
            (2) the meaning of ``adequacy of licensee programs'' as 
        used on page 64964 of the final rule titled ``Nuclear Power 
        Plant License Renewal'' and published December 13, 1991 (56 
        Fed. Reg. 64943).
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