[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6268 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6268

 To enable timely licensing reviews for nuclear reactor facilities at 
brownfield sites and retired fossil fuel sites, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2023

Mr. Guthrie (for himself and Mr. Tonko) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To enable timely licensing reviews for nuclear reactor facilities at 
brownfield sites and retired fossil fuel sites, 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 for Brownfield Site 
Preparation Act''.

SEC. 2. REGULATORY ISSUES FOR NUCLEAR FACILITIES AT BROWNFIELD SITES 
              AND RETIRED FOSSIL FUEL SITES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Brownfield site.--The term ``brownfield site'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101 of the Comprehensive 
        Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 
        (42 U.S.C. 9601).
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Nuclear 
        Regulatory Commission.
            (3) Covered site.--The term ``covered site'' means a 
        brownfield site, a retired fossil fuel site, or a site that is 
        both a retired fossil fuel site and a brownfield site.
            (4) Production facility.--The term ``production facility'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 11 of the Atomic 
        Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014).
            (5) Retired fossil fuel site.--The term ``retired fossil 
        fuel site'' means the site of 1 or more fossil fuel electric 
        generation facilities that are retired or scheduled to retire, 
        including multiunit facilities that are partially shut down.
            (6) Utilization facility.--The term ``utilization 
        facility'' has the meaning given the term in section 11 of the 
        Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014).
    (b) Identification of Regulatory Issues.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall evaluate the extent 
        to which modification of regulations, guidance, or policy is 
        needed to enable timely licensing reviews for, and to support 
        the oversight of, production facilities or utilization 
        facilities at covered sites.
            (2) Requirement.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
        Commission shall consider how licensing reviews for production 
        facilities or utilization facilities at covered sites may be 
        expedited by--
                    (A) siting and operating a production facility or a 
                utilization facility at or near existing site 
                infrastructure to support the reuse of such 
                infrastructure, including--
                            (i) electric switchyard components and 
                        transmission infrastructure;
                            (ii) heat-sink components;
                            (iii) steam cycle components;
                            (iv) roads;
                            (v) railroad access; and
                            (vi) water availability;
                    (B) using early site permits;
                    (C) using plant parameter envelopes or similar 
                standardized site parameters on a portion of a larger 
                site; and
                    (D) using a standardized application for similar 
                sites.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 14 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report describing any 
        regulations, guidance, and policies evaluated under paragraph 
        (1).
    (c) Licensing.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, based on the 
        evaluation under subsection (b)--
                    (A) develop and implement strategies to enable 
                timely licensing reviews for, and to support the 
                oversight of, production facilities or utilization 
                facilities at covered sites; and
                    (B) initiate a rulemaking to enable timely 
                licensing reviews for, and to support the oversight of, 
                production facilities or utilization facilities at 
                covered sites.
            (2) Requirements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        consistent with the mission of the Commission, the Commission 
        shall consider matters relating to--
                    (A) the use of existing site infrastructure;
                    (B) existing emergency preparedness organizations 
                and planning;
                    (C) the availability of historical site-specific 
                environmental data;
                    (D) previously completed environmental reviews 
                required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 
                1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
                    (E) activities associated with the potential 
                decommissioning of facilities or decontamination and 
                remediation at covered sites; and
                    (F) community engagement and historical experience 
                with energy production.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the 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 describing the 
actions taken by the Commission under subsection (c)(1).
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