ECA midterms analysis - recapping results, implications of elections ECA Staff | 11/9/2022
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The battle for control of Congress rages on as midterm ballots are counted. While the fate of the Senate is uncertain, Republicans are poised to win the House, though by a slimmer margin than expected. Midterm elections typically hurt the president’s party, which lost ground in the House in 18 of the past
20 midterm elections and in the Senate in 15 of those elections. Midterms also typically see less voter turnout than in presidential years.
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NBC News currently projects the Republicans will hold 220 seats in the next Congress, a net gain of 8 seats. At the time of publication, Democrats are set to hold at least 48 Senate seats and Republicans with at least 47 seats, and there are 5 Senate races whose results are not yet determined.
Despite the lower turnout, the outcomes of midterm elections have important implications for the future of the EM program, NNSA, and nuclear policy. House Appropriations Committee If the majority changes in the House in January, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) is expected to become the next chair of the House Appropriations Committee, while Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) will serve as the top Democrat. On the Energy & Water Subcommittee, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) is expected to run for chair if Republicans have the majority. Senate Appropriations Committee If Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) is likely to succeed the retiring Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) as chair of the committee. If Republicans take control, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
would become chair, replacing the current top Republican, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), who is also retiring. On the Energy & Water Subcommittee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) are expected to remain the top Democratic and Republican leaders, respectively. House Armed Services Committee Even if all of the incumbents return, the HASC will still see considerable turnover; six Democrats are
retiring, while three Republicans are leaving Congress. If Republicans take control of the House, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) is set to become chairman, and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) would be the top Democrat. Senate Armed Services Committee SASC Ranking Member Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) announced his retirement, effective January 3, 2023. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the next most
senior member on the committee, is likely to become the top Republican, and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) would remain the chairman, assuming Democrats retain control of the Senate. Who will represent energy communities in 2023? EM sites will be represented by at least two new members of Congress. Congressman-elect Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23) will represent the West Valley
Demonstration Site, and Senator-elect JD Vance (R-OH) will represent Portsmouth. Three races impacting EM sites are still undetermined. Incumbents Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) are in close races to continue representing the Nevada National Security Site. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-NM-02) is in a too-close-to-call race to represent the WIPP
site’s House district. |
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Review of the continued analysis of supplemental treatment approaches of LAW at Hanford National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | 11/8/22 The Hanford Nuclear Reservation, located in the state of Washington, is the site of
the largest and most complex nuclear cleanup challenge in the United States. From 1944, when the first reactor produced plutonium for the Manhattan Project, until 1987, when the ninth and last reactor was shut down, Hanford produced about two-thirds of the nation’s plutonium stockpile for nuclear weapons. The production processes resulted in substantial amounts of radioactive and other hazardous wastes; presently, about 56 million gallons of waste are stored in 177 underground
tanks. Treating all the waste at Hanford is expected
to take 40-50 years at a cost of more than $50 billion. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) is responsible for managing the cleanup. DOE plans to use vitrification, or immobilization in glass waste forms, for all of the “high level waste” at Hanford, which comprises about 10 percent of the volume and 90 percent of the radioactivity. The remainder—about 90 percent of the volume—is designated “low-activity waste,” some of which also will be vitrified.
However, because of capacity limits at the new vitrification plant that DOE is building, not all of the low-activity waste can be treated there. DOE must determine how to immobilize the remaining low-activity waste—referred to as “supplemental low-activity waste” or SLAW—so that it will be safe for disposal in a near-surface disposal site. To help inform its decision, DOE contracted with a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), led by Savannah River National Laboratory, to analyze and report its findings about three potential
technologies for immobilizing the SLAW. Congress also requested that the National Academies review the commissioned report. This second review evaluates the FFRDC report in terms of its value for decision making and how well it meets various requirements specified in Congressional acts related to Hanford cleanup. The review concludes that the FFRDC report is overall very strong, provides a useful framework for evaluating the technology options, and is responsive to guidance from the first National Academies review. Continue reading >>
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NRC issues supplement to FEIS for consolidated interim storage project in NM Federal Register | 11/4/22 On November 4, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a supplement to the final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for "the Holtec
International's License Application for a Consolidated Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel in Lea County, New Mexico." The FEIS was published on July 22, 2022. When NRC issued its FEIS, it inadvertently left out two public comments in the document; as a matter of thoroughness and to comply with public comment regulations, NRC is now including those two comments in the EIS for the record. NRC notes that the previously excluded comments “do not provide new and significant information regarding the project,” and the supplement
does not include any changes to impact analysis or determinations; therefore, the recommendation in the FEIS remains the same. Holtec International (Holtec) has requested a license to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and Greater-Than- Class C (GTCC) waste, along with a small quantity of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. The proposed CISF would be located in southeast New Mexico at a site located approximately halfway between the cities of Carlsbad and Hobbs. The proposed action is the issuance of an NRC license authorizing
a CISF to store up to 8,680 metric tons of uranium (MTUs) [9,568 short tons] of SNF in 500 canisters for a license period of 40 years. To read the Federal Register notice, please click here.
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Interactive guide for communities and governments to help navigate nuclear waste cleanup The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) recently released the Guide to Successful Environmental Cleanup, an interactive online resource that provides frequently asked questions, case studies, and recommendations regarding nuclear waste cleanup. To assist local government officials, their communities, and federal agencies in deciphering the
complexities of the environmental cleanup process, ECA developed this guide to facilitate future successful cleanups. |
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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 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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