SAVE THE DATE! ECA Nuclear Development Forum: Building Capacity and Opportunity May 17-19, 2023 in Paducah, KY ECA Staff | 1/9/2023
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In partnership with the U.S. Department of
Energy, the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy, the City of Paducah, McCracken County, the Paducah Area Community Reuse Organization, and the Paducah Chamber of Commerce, and in coordination with the American Nuclear Society, the Energy Communities Alliance is excited to host the Nuclear Development Forum: Building Capacity and Opportunity, May 17-19, 2023, in Paducah, Kentucky. Communities around the country are interested in meeting their energy and carbon mitigation goals as well as creating
and diversifying economic opportunities for their regions. Nuclear energy may be part of the solution. Some communities have a familiarity with nuclear energy projects, while others may be looking to better understand how to evaluate and build support for new nuclear energy development. Paducah, Kentucky, is an ideal location to explore the policies, partners, and resources available for advanced nuclear development and opportunities to leverage and transition existing infrastructure and the
energy workforce. WHO SHOULD ATTEND The ECA Forum is open to communities, states, Tribes, local governments, industry, utilities, developers and others wanting to better understand the outlook, opportunities, and challenges for new nuclear
development.
MEETING GOALS The Nuclear Development Forum is part of ECA's New Nuclear Initiative to connect with communities across the United States that may be interested in supporting the deployment of advanced nuclear energy
technologies. The goals for this meeting include:
- Garnering a better understanding of the outlook for and resources related to new nuclear deployment and the issues that must be addressed as communities consider whether and how to support advanced nuclear energy.
- Engaging communities in discussions regarding key issues such as siting, regulation, investment, workforce development, safety, and the potential environmental, economic, and equity objectives of nuclear energy projects.
- Sharing lessons learned nuclear energy deployment activities in the U.S. and abroad.
- Creating opportunities for communities, Tribes, policymakers, academia, and local elected officials and leaders, state and federal government, and industry to build relationships and share priorities, insights, and needs.
- Matching potential local host communities with nuclear energy developers and utilities.
AGENDA Dr. Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary for DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, has been confirmed as our opening keynote speaker and ECA will be offering an optional site tour of the Paducah Site. Topics for discussion will include, among others:
- Transitioning Coal-to-Nuclear
- Understanding Resources Available for Evaluating Nuclear Development
- Workforce Training and Retraining
- Incorporating Reuse of Existing Facilities for New Nuclear Projects
- Putting a Price on Nuclear Energy
- Industrialization and Opportunities
- Developer Roundtable: The Elements Necessary to Build our Nuclear Economy
- Lessons Learned: Developing Nuclear Facilities Abroad
Meeting planning is under way and more information will be available soon. In the interim, please check our website for updates at http://energyca.org/events or contact Kara Colton, ECA Director of Nuclear Policy at kara.colton@energyca.org or Sarah Templeton at saraht@energyca.org with any questions.
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Curious about nuclear fusion power? Join ECA for a "Fusion 101" webinar January 11, 2023 @3pm ET The Department of Energy just announced a historic milestone was reached for fusion power - want to learn more about this energy source and recent scientific breakthrough? Join ECA's virtual event to learn everything you want to know about fusion and the potential commercialization of the technology, with time for Q&A.
To register for the webinar, please click here: https://kutakrock.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KurZgWuwQeSqqefk4wowyQ
If you have any questions, please contact ECA Program Manager Sarah Templeton at saraht@energyca.org |
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Carlsbad continues to proudly support WIPP and its mission Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway | 1/8/23 There are two upcoming hearings related to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant that are vital to the future of the underground facility for defense-generated
transuranic (TRU) waste. Carlsbad has a long and
proud legacy of being the host community for WIPP, so we certainly encourage residents to participate in these public comment periods. We also know that a large number of our residents are new to town, and may not be fully briefed on WIPP. If you’d like to learn more about this project, we encourage you to keep an open mind and to contact us. First, the NNSA has issued what’s called an Environmental Impact Statement related to the Surplus Plutonium Disposition Program. A public comment period ends on Feb. 14 and there will also be a
public meeting from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Pecos River Village Carousel House. We support the NNSA’s proposal to dilute this waste and then safely emplace it at WIPP. You can read more about this opportunity to comment at: https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeeis-0549-surplus-plutonium-disposition-program. The second issue is related to the draft permit for WIPP’s ten year renewal with the state, through the New Mexico Environment Department. The NMED regulates the hazardous materials (non nuclear) side of WIPP. In December, the NMED proposed an extreme set of additions to this permit, which, if implemented, would massively strengthen the agency’s future authority over WIPP. This could allow the state to halt shipments for a wide variety of
reasons that are well outside of the state’s traditional authority or even WIPP’s ability to control. If implemented, we believe many of these provisions could result in an early closure of WIPP and the loss of thousands of jobs. For example, the NMED is proposing a provision where the state permit is automatically revoked if changes are made to the federal Land Withdrawal Act, which defines the scope of WIPP. The Land Withdrawal Act is subject to the will of the United States Congress, the highest legislative authority in our land. WIPP is also unable to control how many shipments
are coming out of Los Alamos, for example, or whether or not another repository is being sited. Advocates of the NMED’s proposal are mentioning other nuclear activities in New Mexico, such as the Trinity Site and uranium mining, as justification for the need to set boundaries. They are getting tough on WIPP, they say, because the federal government has ignored them. However, it’s a mistake from the starting point to lump in WIPP, which safely offers a national solution, in with these concerns. It’s also a mistake to ignore the numerous benefits, including the existence of two
national labs, thousands of jobs and national cleanup success, resulting from both WIPP and New Mexico’s overall nuclear legacy. It’s also a mistake to abuse what should be a neutral regulatory process to make these points. It is certainly our impression that the residents of Carlsbad and the surrounding area did not have any voice when the New Mexico Environment Department was considering its proposed modifications to the ten year permit. We hope the NMED will fairly consider the viewpoints of the citizens who live and work near WIPP when
developing its regulatory framework. A written public comment period began on Dec. 20 and will end at 5 p.m. Feb. 18. For more information, please visit www.env.nm.gov/hazardous-waste/wipp/. What it boils down to is that WIPP has an incredible safety record and is a welcome member of our community and state. We strongly support continuing to put the facility to good use.
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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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