NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP
National Cleanup Workshop 2021 review: DOE leadership perspectives, community successes, and future engagement
ECA Staff | 12/13/2021
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On December 7-9, the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA), with the cooperation of the Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) and the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG), hosted the sixth annual National Cleanup Workshop. The Workshop was made possible thanks to 28 sponsors, and the conference had over 650 registrants.
Workshop attendees heard from DOE leadership on a variety of subjects, including opening remarks from Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, a keynote address by Deputy Secretary David Turk, and a discussion on the new era in EM cleanup by EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White.
In his remarks, White highlighted community success stories across the former weapons complex and the importance of partnering with local communities..
“We are very fortunate at EM to be surrounded by diverse communities who are strong partners in the cleanup mission,” White said.
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Deputy Secretary David Turk (above) and Senior Advisor William "Ike" White (below) give remarks.
Workshop participants also had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Kathryn Huff, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy. She discussed her top three priorities for the Office: to keep existing plants open, deploy new reactors, and responsibly manage used fuel.
In a virtual session, Secretarial Advisor on Equity and Deputy Director for Energy Justice Shalanda Baker also gave insightful remarks on the path forward for energy and environmental justice.
ECA believes there is a critical link between environmental justice issues and the disposal of high-level waste; frontline communities that have become the de facto storage sites for this waste deserve to be recognized under the Administration’s environmental justice directive, and the waste should be addressed accordingly.
Day two of the conference began with notes from Representative Chuck Fleischmann, who represents the third district of Tennessee – home to the Oak Ridge site – on legislative challenges and opportunities for the EM program.
In a roundtable on the future of disposal, ECA Director of Nuclear Policy Kara Colton highlighted the benefits to both local communities and EM when cleanup projects engage communities early and often.
“Early and meaningful community engagement builds trust. We succeed when you succeed,” she said.
Rep. Fleischmann (above) and ECA Director of Nuclear Policy Kara Colton (below) share insight.
Mayor Rebecca Casper, ECA Vice Chair, shared insight on the future of the EM workforce, a critical area of shared interest across the complex, in a session on the subject.
Conference attendees also heard from Senior Advisor to the Energy Secretary Kate Gordon on place-based initiatives at DOE, which mark a “historic shift toward much more engagement” in the future.
Other sessions during the Workshop included panels on the next phase of EM success, EM acquisition plans and schedule, and the future of Hanford’s tank waste. Roundtables were held on lessons learned and improving project performance, DOE priority issues, and site opportunities and challenges with DOE field office managers.
ECA looks forward to continuing the important conversations held at the Workshop and to introducing new topics at the National Cleanup Workshop 2022.
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Congratulations to the new ECA Executive Board!
Chair: Mayor Brent Gerry, City of West Richland, WA
Vice Chair: Mayor Rebecca Casper, City of Idaho Falls, ID
Secretary: Councilman Chuck Hope, City of Oak Ridge, TN
Treasurer: Council Chair David Izraelevitz, Los Alamos County, NM
Member at Large: Councilman Jason Chavez, City of Carlsbad, NM
Immediate Past Chair: County Executive Ron Woody, Roane County, TN
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT
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JANUARY 15, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary for Science and Energy and Office of Policy (OP) request information on energy sector supply chains. This request for information (RFI) seeks input from all stakeholders involved directly and indirectly in the supply chains of energy, energy systems and technologies, and energy efficiency technologies from raw materials, processed materials, subcomponents, final products, to end-of-life material recovery and
recycling—including but not limited to U.S. industry, researchers, academia, local governments, and civil society. This stakeholder input will inform the Department's efforts in building an energy sector industrial base that is diverse, resilient, and competitive while meeting economic, national security, and climate objectives.
MARCH 4, 2022
The Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Request for Information (RFI) on how to site Federal facilities for the temporary, consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel using a consent-based approach.
Responses to the RFI will inform development of a consent-based siting process, overall strategy for an integrated waste management system, and possibly a funding opportunity. DOE especially welcomes insight from people, communities, and groups that have historically not been well-represented in these discussions.
Responses must be received by March 4, 2022 by 5:00pm ET and may be submitted electronically to consentbasedsiting@hq.doe.gov, including “RFI: Consent-Based Siting and Federal Interim Storage” in the subject line of the email
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Bill introduced in House to spur nuclear energy innovation
Rep. Gonzalez Press Release | 12/8/2021
On December 8, Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16) and Elaine Luria (VA-02) introduced the Accelerating Nuclear Innovation through Fee Reform Act, legislation designed to accelerate innovation and catalyze private sector investment in advanced nuclear reactor technologies by eliminating Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review fees for advanced reactor license applications.
“If the U.S. wants to be a climate leader while remaining energy independent, nuclear energy has to play a pivotal role in our nation’s energy mix,” Gonzalez said. “Unfortunately, the current NRC fee model limits innovation by constraining the agency’s resources and discouraging nuclear innovators early in the project lifecycle. By eliminating application fees for advanced fission and fusion reactors, we can yield enormous innovation benefits that create jobs,
improve our nation’s security, and generate more emissions-free energy.”
"Advanced nuclear is one of the most significant contributors to America’s clean energy future,” Luria said. “We need to cut costs and red tape so that this technology can thrive. The Accelerating Innovation through Fee Reform Act will help jumpstart the advanced nuclear technology industry and promote clean energy growth in communities across the country.”
Under the NRC’s existing regulatory framework, the agency charges hourly fees to license applicants trying to build new advanced nuclear reactors that are safer, more economic, and quicker to deploy. This framework is largely predicated on conventional reactors instead of advanced reactors, which causes initial advanced reactor reviews to take longer and cost more.
According to Gonzalez's press release, this puts innovators at a serious disadvantage because most startups are very early in their project lifecycles with little to no revenue. By eliminating licensing fees for new reactors, Congress can further incentivize the development and deployment of nuclear innovation that reduces emissions, grows the economy, and improves overall nuclear safety.
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Nuclear and carbon capture companies seek $20B as DOE revives loan program
Utility Dive | 12/8/2021
After a decade-long lull, the Department of Energy (DOE) is reviewing 66 loan applications totaling $53.6 billion for potential advanced nuclear, transmission line, electric vehicle-related and other cutting-edge energy projects, according to Jigar Shah, director of DOE's Loan Programs Office.
According to Shah, another 40 loan requests are in the first-draft stage.
"We are open for business," he said.
Through the loan office, Shah said he aims to spur $100 billion in private sector commitments in sectors that will help the United States slash carbon dioxide emissions. Ideally, Shah said he would like the office to issue at least $2 billion in loans for each key emerging sector, such as battery recycling, "green" hydrogen and carbon capture. So far, the office is reviewing at least $2 billion in applications in 11 different sectors, according to
Shah.
The office is reviewing about $11.8 billion in applications for nuclear projects, according to Shah. "Nuclear is back and we've got three or four new nuclear plants that want money to build next generation, small modular reactors," he said.
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Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation
Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation.
Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications
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Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments.
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