NDAA UNDERGOING KEY MOVEMENTS IN HOUSE & SENATE
ECA Staff | 06/11/2024 The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is seeing key movements in both houses this week. The House Rules Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 11th, to set up debate on H.R. 8070 – the House version of the NDAA which aims to authorize $895 billion in funding. $33.3 billion would go towards Department of Energy (DOE) programs, with highlights including: $25 billion - National Nuclear Security Administration $7 billion – Defense environmental cleanup $1.1 billion – Other defense activities The House version would also include certain new provisions. One provision would block Chinese and Russian nationals from entering national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities unless the individual receives a waiver from the Secretary of Energy. Another provision would prohibit any funds authorized for DOE to go towards being used to reconvert or retire W76-2 warheads – low-yield nuclear submarine warheads. The House will convene the next day on Wednesday, June
12th to vote on whether to approve the NDAA bill. Meanwhile, The
Senate Armed Services Committee will conduct a closed markup of the Senate NDAA, beginning on June 12th and continuing until June 14th. While this is traditionally a closed-door process, the Personnel markup, and, for the first time, Seapower
markups will made open for the public to view. ECA will continue to provide updates on the NDAA as it develops.
TERRAPOWER NUCLEAR POWER PLANT BREAKS GROUND IN KEMMERER
Oil City News | 06/10/2024 CASPER, Wyo. — A groundbreaking ceremony for a new nuclear power plant took place in Kemmerer on Monday, June 10. The much-discussed plant promising to use innovative tech to make power from nuclear energy is being built by TerraPower, a firm founded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and based in Washington state. “This groundbreaking represents the beginning of the next era of nuclear energy. The Natrium reactor is more than a design, it’s a plant coming to life that will support both the clean energy transition and our historic energy communities,” said Chris Levesque, TerraPower president and CEO, in a press release issued on Monday. “Our innovative Natrium
technology will provide dispatchable carbon-free energy, gigawatt-scale energy storage, and long-term jobs to the Lincoln County community.” According to the release, Wyoming government dignitaries and TerraPower leaders joined in the ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the start of construction. TerraPower Chairman and Founder Bill Gates said in the release, “I’m proud of all the partners and people who helped get the most advanced nuclear project in the world built in Kemmerer, Wyoming. I believe that TerraPower’s next-generation nuclear energy will power the future of our nation — and the world.” Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said in the release, “This project also demonstrates how good things can happen when the private and public sectors work together to solve problems. Advances made here will bolster Wyoming’s ability to produce another source of
dispatchable power securely. In Wyoming we know energy — and we will continue to provide it to help keep our nation competitive and safe.” Continue reading here >>
H.R. 8674, THE MILESTONES FOR ADVANCED NUCLEAR FUEL TO BE CONSIDERED BY HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE
ECA Staff | 06/11/2024 Yesterday, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee announced that they will hold a Full Committee Markup of the following four bills. - H.R. 8613, the NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act
- H.R. 8665, the Supercritical Geothermal Research and Development Act
- H.r. 8673, the Expanding
Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness Act
- H.R. 8674, the Milestones for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Act
The Full Committee Markup will occur on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 10:00am at 2318 Rayburn House Office Building. This legislation establishes milestone-based development and demonstration projects
relating to nuclear fuels at the Department of Energy. This bill was introduced 06/07 by Representative Brandon Williams (R-NY-22),. ECA will continue to provide legislative updates from the hill.
NEW MEDIA: Gone Fission Nuclear Report: EM Consolidated Business Center Celebrates 20 Years June 3, 2024 | S4 E11 DOE’s Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. Called the “Swiss army knife of Environmental Management”, the
EMCBC serves as the centralized hub for procurement, financial management, and technical support for DOE’s environmental management program. The EMCBC oversees the cleanup of contaminated sites, including former nuclear production facilities, research laboratories, and uranium mining sites. Host Michael Butler interviews EMCBC Deputy Director Melody Bell and Procurement Director Aaron Deckard.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Borehole Disposal for a DSRS inventory - Outcomes of an IAEA coordinated research projectJune 12, 2024 | Virtual Register Here DNN Civil Society Engagement (CSE) Workshop June 12, 2024 |
Forrestal (Washington, D.C.) /Virtual Register Here 2024 National Cleanup Workshop September 16-18, 2024 | Crystal Gateway Marriott (Arlington, VA) More Information Here
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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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