CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ANNOUNCE DEAL IN HOPES TO PREVENT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
ECA Staff | 01/08/2024 On Sunday, January 7th, House and Senate negotiators announced a spending deal for 2024 appropriations. This is the first step that needs to be taken to avoid a government shutdown. Congress is facing not one, but two deadlines, January 19th and February 2nd. The first deadline (January 19) includes the funding for Energy and Water Development, Agriculture-FDA, Rural Development, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. The second deadline (February 2)
includes Defense, Commerce, Justice and Science, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, Legislative Branch, and Foreign Operations. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to topline numbers for FY 24. These numbers include a total of $1.59 trillion for FY24, $886 billion for defense spending, $704 billion in non-defense spending, and $69 billion side deal in adjustments that will go towards non-defense domestic spending. That side deal brings non-defense spending to
approximately $773 billion. This deal is the first step towards avoiding a showdown, however, there are still hurdles to
fully avoid a shutdown. Congress must pass a series of funding bills or approve a stopgap known as a continuing resolution to extend funding past the current deadlines. Congress has less than two weeks to finalize funding. Lawmakers will resume negotiations on Monday. ECA will continue to provide updates on appropriations.
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION TAX CREDITS MAY EXCLUDE LEGACY NUCLEAR
Nuclear NewsWire | 01/08/2024 New guidelines for federal hydrogen production tax credits may leave legacy nuclear plants out in the cold. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have released proposed language about who would qualify for the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The public comment period on the
proposal is open until February 26. Notes: A White House press release stated that “clean hydrogen that is produced using time-matched, deliverable, and incremental clean electricity will be an invaluable tool in decarbonizing the full economy in line with President Biden’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.” The amount of the credit ranges from $0.60 to $3 per kilogram of hydrogen produced. However, a stipulation limiting the tax credits to clean power generators that began operating within three years of the opening of hydrogen facilities would exclude existing nuclear plants—most of which have been in operation
for decades. Planned facility: At least one major project—from Constellation
Energy—could be derailed by limitations in the proposed rules. Constellation announced in October plans to build the world’s largest nuclear-powered clean hydrogen facility at one of its Illinois boiling water reactor plants. The Department of Energy chose Constellation to receive up to $1 billion in funding to participate in a hydrogen hub program with numerous Midwest partners, which is expected to produce 33,450 tons of clean hydrogen each year. Constellation had been counting on the tax credits to make the clean hydrogen production cost effective, since a $900 million investment at the power plant will be required. “The proposed rule flies in the face of Congress’s clear intent to use America’s nuclear energy to produce hydrogen,” the company said in a statement. “If finalized, America will surrender hydrogen and deep decarbonization leadership to China and Europe, both of which have policies that smartly utilize their existing nuclear plants to make
hydrogen and speed decarbonization.” Continue Reading
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PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENT IN OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
DOE-EM | 01/03/2024 After 23 years of federal service, Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) Manager Connie Flohr will retire and take a position in the private industry. Connie was named the ICP Manager in February 2020, after serving as acting manager. Prior to that, she served as ICP's deputy manager since March 2017. Prior to Idaho, Connie served as EM's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Resources Management in Washington DC, responsible for budget, planning, information technology, and human resource services
within EM. Connie also served as EM's Budget Director from 2008 to 2016. Under Connie's
leadership, the ICP completed exhumation of buried waste and the spent nuclear fuel wet to dry campaign months ahead of Idaho Settlement Agreement milestones; initiated radiological operations of the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit; completed treatment of all Idaho legacy transuranic waste; and set a new standard for administration of the state contract model. ECA would like to congratulate Connie on her next chapter of career and thank her for her 35 total years of service to DOE. DOE will continue to provide updates on the filling of her position.
REGISTRATION IS LIVE FOR ECA's New Nuclear Forum: Building Nuclear Partnerships and Projects, May 8-9, 2024 in Kennewick,
WA
ECA is excited to be hosting its third New Nuclear Forum, the only meeting designed to bring together DOE, federal, state, local and tribal governments and policymakers with developers, utilities,
regulators, industry, and academia to identify opportunities, challenges and to build the partnerships necessary to support nuclear development. Communities across the country are considering nuclear projects for many reasons - from diversifying regional economies, creating clean energy jobs or meeting carbon reduction goals, to increasing energy security and rebuilding the U.S. supply chain. Some communities have a familiarity with nuclear energy projects, while others are just beginning to evaluate potential interest. The ECA
Forum is designed to enable shared learning so that local, State and Tribal governments evaluating nuclear projects can be meaningfully engaged - and prepared - to match the strengths and needs of their communities with new nuclear opportunities.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The ECA Forum is open to communities, State, Tribal and local policymakers, industry, utilities,
developers, experts, financiers, state legislators, community groups, and economic development organizations working to build capacity and support for new nuclear development in the U.S. MEETING GOALS:
This meeting
is part of ECA's New Nuclear Initiative to define the role of local governments in supporting the development of the new nuclear technologies, and answer three core questions: - What do communities need to
know to attract and support new nuclear development/missions?
- How can communities support industry, national laboratories, state, and federal governments and how should they communicate about local resources and development opportunities?
- What hurdles and challenges will communities face - along with industry and
developers - and who can we work with to overcome them?
AGENDA:
ECA, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, has developed an agenda that continues to look
holistically at the what a nuclear project entails: from the front-end of the fuel-cycle to the back-end of the fuel cycle, from building local support, to state support and enabling legislation, from identifying the right public-private partnerships, to understanding regulatory oversight. Session topics include: - How to Build Community Acceptance
- Reusing Energy Sites for New Nuclear Development
- Understanding Industrial Applications of Nuclear Energy
- Pursuing a Reliable, Domestic Nuclear Fuel Supply
- Rebuilding the U.S. Nuclear
Supply
OPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Tuesday, May 7, 2024: ECA is offering an optional "Nuclear 101" for participants new to nuclear energy.
Friday, May 10, 2024: ECA is offering an optional tour: Historic Hanford Tour / Future of Nuclear around Hanford Tour. Additional registration will be required and openings are limited.
INTERESTED IN BEING A SPONSOR? To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Autumn Bogus, ECA Forum Staff, at abogus@la-inc.com.
QUESTIONS?
For any questions, comments, or to learn more about the ECA New Nuclear Forums, please contact Kara Colton,
ECA Director of Nuclear Policy, at kara.colton@energyca.org or Faith Sanchez, ECA Program Manager, at faiths@energyca.org.
NEW MEDIA: Gone Fission Nuclear Report: Remembering Gary Peterson January 8, 2024 | S4E1 Every DOE community has local leaders who step up to advocate for funding and new missions and to hold the Department of Energy accountable for its cleanup obligations. These
leaders take the time to educate themselves on site issues, get to know DOE leaders and members of Congress, and use their voices and influence to represent their communities. In this week’s episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report remembers one such leader--Gary Petersen, a long-time passionate advocate for the Hanford site in Washington State, who passed away last October, leaving an impressive legacy of advocacy and support.
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Check out ECA's latest
report! DISPOSAL DRIVES CLEANUP: RE-ENERGIZING MOMENTUM FOR DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE
This report calls on the Department of Energy to launch the initiative to develop the actual waste disposition approaches. The Department could potentially save hundreds of billions of dollars in cleanup costs by using its available tools and implementing the report’s recommendations.
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. |
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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