Senate makes progress on energy bill
Over the last month, the U.S. Senate has made progress on passing comprehensive energy legislation. The House of Representatives passed its version last August. Debate on the Senate bill, S. 517, put forward by Majority Leader Tom Daschle, began in early March. So far, almost three weeks have been spent on consideration of the legislation. In that time, several amendments which positively impact the future of nuclear science and technology have been adopted as part of the underlying bill. A description of each follows:
1. Craig Amendment - Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) offered an amendment to authorize the Department of Energy's proposed Nuclear Power 2010 program. The program, recommended for funding in the 2003 Administration's budget request, would assist with the development of advanced reactor technologies and demonstrate new regulatory processes for the next generation of nuclear plants. The Craig Amendment authorizes the program and seeks to provide a funding level as required to move the program forward.
The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
2. Landrieu Amendment - Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) offered an amendment to support the use of high-temperature hydrogen producing nuclear reactors. It also suggests the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) explore the use of nuclear reactors for hydrogen production.
The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
3. Domenici Amendment - Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) offered an amendment to establish an Office of Spent Nuclear Fuel within the Office of Nuclear Energy at DOE. The purpose of the Office would be to explore alternative management strategies for spent nuclear fuel. The activities of the Office would be to identify promising technologies for the treatment, recycling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. It would also provide a setting for research of these technologies. International collaboration in these efforts would be encouraged.
The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
4. Voinovich Amendment - Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) offered an amendment to reauthorize the Price-Anderson Act. The amendment would extend indemnification for the NRC through 2012. It would extend the indemnification authority for DOE indefinitely. The current law expires in August.
Additionally, the amendment would increase indemnification for accidents involving federally-owned nuclear facilities from the current $100 million to $500 million. The amendment also repeals the current exemption for nonprofit DOE contractors from civil penalties for nuclear safety violations.
The amendment was adopted by a vote of 78 - 21.
When the Senate reconvenes following the Easter recess, it is expected that at least another week will be devoted to this legislation. Amendments which have been filed for possible introduction include:
A Carnahan (D-MO) Amendment to require the General Accounting Office to study DOE procedures for selecting routes to ship nuclear waste;
A Voinovich Amendment to make changes to certain NRC regulations and encourage the development of new plants;
A Landrieu Amendment to expedite procedures to license advanced reactors.
A Thurmond (R-SC) Amendment to allow the construction of commercial nuclear facilities at DOE sites.
The text of S. 517 can be found at thomas.loc.gov.
