[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Lieberman):
  S. 960. A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to authorize 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to direct that a portion of any civil 
penalty assessed by used to assist local communities; to the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works.


                 THE DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES SUPPORT ACT

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
help communities that suffer when nuclear power plants operate in an 
unsafe manner.
  As most of my colleagues know, when the NRC discovers safety 
violations at a nuclear power plant, it is authorized to fine that 
facility for its transgressions, and these fines have been as high as 
$1.25 million. Under current law these fines go directly into the 
federal treasury, with no allowances being made for the communities 
that are home to these deficient nuclear power plants. When a nuclear 
facility is poorly operated, it often creates severe safety, 
environmental, and economic concerns for surrounding communities. 
Therefore, it is only fair that those communities should receive a 
portion of any NRC fines to go toward addressing matters of local 
concern. That is why I have introduced the Distressed Communities 
Support Act.
  This legislation is simple and straightforward--it would allow 50 
percent of the fines levied by the NRC against nuclear facilities to be 
funneled back to communities adversely affected by the plant's 
mismanagement.
  The Distressed Communities Support Act would be extremely helpful to 
towns adjacent to nuclear plants which may be trying to develop special 
health, safety, and environmental programs. More important, this bill 
would help communities where the safety violations of the nuclear plant 
require that the plant be permanently shut down and decommissioned.
  It is a fact that nuclear plants around the country are aging, making 
it increasingly difficult for many of them to meet safety standards and 
remain operational. Therefore, it is important that communities 
throughout the country have increased access to resources to deal with 
problems caused by negligent nuclear plants. In my home state of 
Connecticut, the time to help local communities is now.
  The Connecticut Yankee nuclear plant in Haddam, Connecticut is in the 
beginning stages of decommissioning. In light of numerous safety 
violations, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ordered the plant closed 
until these safety concerns were addressed. Then, in December of 1996, 
the owners of Connecticut Yankee decided to permanently close the 
facility. This decision came despite the fact that the license for the 
facility was set to expire in 2007. While the owners of Connecticut 
Yankee had chosen to permanently close the plant, the NRC continued its 
review of the safety violations, and fined Connecticut Yankee $650,000.
  This early decommissioning of this plant will have a dramatic impact 
on Haddam and other surrounding towns. Connecticut Yankee was the 
area's largest employer and represented almost half of the tax base in 
the town of Haddam--a town of just under 7,500 residents. It employed 
more than 300 individuals. The sudden loss of tax revenue and jobs will 
have a devastating impact on this area, and the town may well be forced 
to raise local taxes and make cuts in town services, including the 
public schools.
  In addition to the economic impact is the serious health and 
environmental impact of the way in which this facility was run. The 
people of Haddam and surrounding towns are facing difficult days as 
they contend with radioactive waste and related problems.
  While local officials and residents are looking at innovative ways to 
rebuild their town's tax base, Haddam needs and clearly deserves 
financial assistance to get on the road to economic recovery. As we 
look for ways to provide financial assistance for this community, it 
only seems logical that some portion of the $650,000 in fines should go 
toward helping these people.
  It is even more fitting that a town like Haddam should receive some 
federal assistance, because the federal government is partly 
responsible for this town's problems. NRC Commissioner Shirley Jackson 
has stated that the NRC failed to adequately regulate this plant to 
ensure safety, and stricter monitoring could have prevented a number of 
the problems that this plant has experienced. A recent GAO report 
released by Senator Lieberman details the failings of the NRC in 
overseeing CT Yankee and other plants.
  In most every case where a nuclear power plant's negligence prompts a 
fine by the NRC, the communities surrounding the plant will feel some 
negative repercussions. Therefore, I believe that a portion of these 
fines should be available to the affected communities.
  While the Distressed Communities Support Act will not solve all of 
the problems of towns like Haddam, Connecticut, it is a fair and simple 
initiative that will provide relief to thousands of Americans.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 960

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

     SECTION 1. USE OF PORTION OF CIVIL PENALTY ASSESSED BY THE 
                   NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TO ASSIST LOCAL 
                   COMMUNITIES.

       Section 234 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 
     2282) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``d. Use of Portion of Civil Penalty To Assist Local 
     Communities.--In imposing a civil penalty on a person, the 
     Commission may direct the person to pay 50 percent of the 
     amount of the civil penalty to local communities to protect 
     local communities from the adverse economic and other affects 
     of a violation of this Act or of decommissioning of a 
     facility under this Act.''.
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