BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
WITH LOOMING FUNDING DEADLINE HOUSE AND SENATE STRIKE TOPLINE DEAL; SUBCOMMITTEES ARE LEFT WITH MIXED
REACTIONS
ECA Staff | 01/30/2024 Top lawmakers have agreed to top-line number allocations for each of the 12 appropriation bills. This allows for appropriations subcommittee leaders to begin negotiations on the details of their annual funding bills.Lawmakers face deadlines on March 1 and 8 to avoid partial government shutdowns. Four bills which make up about 20% of the discretionary funding face the first deadline, March 1. The rest of the eight
bills have a March 8 deadline. However, House and Senate negotiators have reached a deal on top-line allocations,
following weeks of negotiations since January 7th. The details of the bill-by-bill allocation agreement have not been made public. However, key lawmakers have given broad outlines to the funding levels in the deal struck by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Kay Granger (R-TX). While some subcommittees are faced with cuts to their previous number, such as Interior-Environment and Labor- Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education. The Energy and Water Subcommittee, Chair Representative Chuck Fleischmann is maintaining positive, “There’s optimism in the room. If there were going to be
sticking points, it’s probably going to be over the rides.” The Chairman reported that the bill’s defense and nondefense allocations are in good shape. He also reported that subcommittee leaders should be able to work out funding levels. However, subcommittee leaders need to be prepared to leave the toughest questions regarding policy riders to congressional leaders. There is some reason to think that the bills may pass under suspension of the rules. That would be floor debate on the bills would be limited and all floor amendments would be prohibited, and final passage requires a two-thirds supermajority in the
House. It is important to remember that due to a provision in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) negotiated last year
between President Biden and House Republicans, Congress faces an automatic sequestration of 1% across all agencies' budget on May 1 if Congress has not yet approved full-year funding. This was designed to incentivize lawmakers to complete their budgeting work.The FRA would result in nearly a 10% cut across the board which could impact almost every agency. With most appropriation subcommittees declining meetings until bills pass, it can be expected for lawmakers to prioritize and do their best to
reach the March deadlines. While lawmakers continue to work towards FY24 appropriations bills to fund the government through
September 30, FY25’s budget request is pushed further down. This gives local governments and communities time to make their requests and priorities known to local congressional members. ECA will continue to provide updates as appropriation bills continue to move forward.
EM RELEASES FRESH SLATE OF AMBITIOUS PRIORTIIES TO DRIVE CLEANUP PROGRESS IN 2024
DOE-EM | 01/30/2024 EM has released its program priorities for calendar year (CY) 2024, covering key cleanup actions, project construction, acquisition and other important activities that will further EM’s environmental mission. "These critical priorities set the stage for a new chapter in cleanup in communities that supported our nation for so many years and represent EM’s commitment to doing the right thing for those most impacted by the environmental legacy of the past," EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said. As EM moves ahead on its journey to accomplish major cleanup milestones over the next decade, the CY 2024 priorities reflect EM's mission to clean up the land and water at DOE
sites while contributing to national security priorities, investing in the future and aiding local communities’ efforts to build strong economies, grow jobs and prepare for a clean energy future. EM worked closely with its field sites and stakeholders to develop the priorities for this year. The cleanup program remains committed to achieving its environmental cleanup and national security missions in a manner safe and protective of its workers, the public and the environment, and with transparency to the communities that host its sites. In CY 2023, EM checked off the majority of its priorities, completing complex work that led to critical progress, made possible by support from its state, tribal and local partners. The CY 2024 list has 33 priorities — three more than last year. The full set of EM CY 2024 priorities can be accessed here:
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: DOE Procurement Process: How EM Contracts Work January 29, 2024 | S4E2 The Department of Energy’s environmental cleanup program is now focused on 15 remaining sites around the country, down from 107 at the start of the program three
decades ago. It is a multi-million dollar, multi-decade effort that depends on qualified contractors to get the job done. DOE is the largest civilian contracting agency in the federal government. In this week’s episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report examines the procurement process that results in contract awards and looks at the agency’s new contracting model, the role of small business and the impact of protests on cleanup schedules and progress. Guests are Angela Watmore, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Acquisition and Project Management and Aaron Deckard, Procurement Director, EM Consolidated Business Center.
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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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