TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT TO KNOW THIS WEEK

DON'T MISS OUT! SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED FOR NEW NUCLEAR FORUM 

Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is pleased to host the fifth annual ECA Forum in Augusta, GA from April 21 - April 23, 2026. The meeting is part of ECA’s ongoing New Nuclear Initiative to define the role of local governments in supporting the development of the new nuclear technologies.

We are thrilled to announce a growing list of speakers who are joining us at the ECA Forum: 

Tim Walsh – Assistant Secretary, DOE-EM

James McConnell – Associate Principal Deputy Administrator, NNSA

Kristen Ellis – Associate Principal Deputy Under Secretary, DOE

Jack Craig - Senior Vice President, Atkins Realis

Adrienne Schweer – Head of Government Affairs, Oklo

Cristina Paredes – Executive Director, SC Nexus

Rod Baltzer – CEO, Deep Isolation

Nikki Sizemore – Manager, Government Affairs, Kairos

Chuck Hope – Councilmember, City of Oak Ridge and ECA Chair

Robbie Bennett – President & CEO, SRSCRO

Doreen Harris - CEO, NYSERDA

Suzanne Jaworowski - Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources, State of Indiana 

Jack Ladyman - Representative (District 32), Arkansas House of Representatives

Shay Lundvall – Mayor, City of Gillette, WY

Chris Stearns – Representative (District 47-Position 2), Washington State Legislature

Additional speakers can be found on the agenda!

They'll be joining on critical discussions, including:

🔹 Nuclear Initiatives Across the Federal Government 

🔹 Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses 

🔹 Developing the Nuclear Supply Chain - Needs and Opportunities

🔹 Creating the Right Business Environment for Nuclear Facilities
🔹 Commercializing Nuclear: Next-to-Market Technologies
🔹 Building National, State, and Local Workforce

…and more! 

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.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

We would like to give a big thanks to Gold Sponsors Atkins Realis and Oklo for their support of energy communities and making this must-attend event a reality.

Meet Atkins Realis, Oklo, and a whole host of other nuclear leaders, developers, and innovators at the ECA Forum!

REGISTRATION RATES
General Attendees -  $950.00.
Non-Profit & Government attendees - $795.00.

SCHEDULE:

April 21 | Registration Opens & Nuclear 101
April 22 | Full-Day General Session
April 23 | Half-Day General Session
April 24 | All-Day Tour

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

NRC CONSIDERS ELIMINATING HALF-CENTURY OLD RADIATION STANDARD

Last week at a public meeting, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) discussed a proposed rule reconsidering certain radiation safety requirements.

Under a policy proposal circulating inside the NRC, nuclear power plants would no longer be required to keep radiation doses “as low as reasonably achievable,” called the “ALARA”principle. Instead, nuclear power operators and medical workers would need to keep radiation levels under maximum dose limits, some of which would be loosened under a draft rule, according to three people familiar with the proposal. 

The ALARA principle has been the subject of debate since it was first put forward in the 1950s, and then made into a regulatory standard in the mid-1970s. Many in the nuclear industry have argued that it has made it more expensive to build and maintain nuclear power plants without enhancing safety. Regulators have defended the principle as appropriately conservative in light of limited data about whether low-dose radiation causes cancers.

“We have learned a lot more about the impact of radiation exposure on public health, and it’s time that we reconsider that,” NRC Chair Ho Nieh told reporters last week.

The proposal to relax the radiation standard comes as the White House pushes to expand nuclear power after decades of slow growth. The administration has set the goal of quadrupling U.S. nuclear output by 2050, largely to power energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers.

The proposed rule is expected to be published on April 30 at which point they will be open for comments with final rules expected in November. 

Read more about the forthcoming rulemaking here. 

2026 WASTE MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM RECAP

During the 2026 Waste Management Symposium, ECA hosted three panels and a Board Meeting. On Tuesday, ECA hosted a board meeting where ECA Executive Board Chair and Oak Ridge Councilman Chuck Hope opened with remarks outlining past and future priorities for ECA, and promoted the upcoming ECA New Nuclear Forum in Augusta, GA. If you are interested in registering for the Forum, click here!

The board was joined by Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management, Tim Walsh who spoke to the board about the future goals and past successes of EM, including reusing DOE sites for energy projects. Additional topics were discussed including: 

• How to expand nuclear energy by building up additional workforce.
• Collaborating with labor to efficiently and safely achieve cleanup goals.
• Working with and seeking local community input. 

Thank you, Mr. Walsh for taking the time to join our board meeting!

Following the board meeting, ECA hosted a panel titled "The Direction of US Policy in 2026 for Cleanup, SNF, HLW, and Budget" featuring David Reeploeg (TRIDEC), David Campbell (EnergySolutions), Kara Colton (ECA), Colin Jones (Amentum), Eric Knox (Amentum), Sean Todd (Fox Potomac Resources), and Candice Trummell (BWXT). 

This panel, moderated by David Reeploeg, focused on budget, appropriations, and policy aspects of cleanup and development, with panelists noting the palpable energy for new nuclear projects and bipartisan support for EM. Other topics discussed included: 

• Energy for new nuclear and data center development must move at the speed of trust and safety.
• Anticipated turnover of 39 governors this November 
•  The opportunities for the back-end of the fuel cycle in the current DOE RFI establishing Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.
• Successes of cleanup projects across the country, and the importance of community engagement and support to help the projects succeed. 

On Wednesday, ECA hosted two more panels beginning with "Focusing on US Legacy HLW, and SNF - Moving the Process Forward" featuring Laura Hermann (ECA), JJ Chavez (City of Carlsbad), Craig Z. Clymer (City of Paducah), Amy Fitzgerald (City of Oak Ridge), M.H. Hootie Langseth (Butte County), Vesa Lakaniemi (Municipality of Eurajoki), and Marla Morales (DOE-NE). 

This panel focused on opportunities to use used nuclear fuel, address high-level waste disposal, what it means to close the fuel cycle, and a discussion on building and keeping trust with host communities. Other topics discussed included: 

• Community, local, and state collaboration anticipated in preparing responses for the current DOE RFI establishing Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. 
• Dichotomies between host communities and other other communities across the state in supporting current nuclear projects, and discussing ways to help build consensus. 
• Opening up transparent community dialogue to inform future decisions, and finding trusted community voices to have those important conversations. 

Finally, ECA hosted a session titled "Reusing US DOE Sites to Support Mission and Economic Opportunities" featured opening remarks from Joel Bradburne, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for DOE-EM who spoke about the nuclear renaissance in the US, and expressed excitement that legacy cleanup is no longer a mission beyond our lifetimes. The panel comprised of AJ Ridge (ECA), Ed Blandford (Kairos Power), Robbie Bennett (SRSCRO), Jennifer Chandler (City of Piketon), Chuck Hope (City of Oak Ridge), Seth Kirshenberg (ECA), and Sandra Wilson (City of Paducah).

This panel focused on how existing EM sites are being reused for DOE/NNSA missions and economic development opportunities. Additional topics discussed included: 

• Imperative needs to grow, train, and recruit the needed workforce to support these incoming projects. 
• Strategies for setting mutual goals between communities, DOE, and companies for cleanup and reuse.
• Continuing and expanding communication between communities and DOE in all aspect of the projects at hand
• The process to develop and acquire DOE sites for reuse

Thank you to all who joined us at the 2026 Waste Management Symposium! 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

ECA New Nuclear Forum 2026

Augusta, GA | April 21 - 23

Learn More Here

National Cleanup Workshop 2026

Arlington, VA | September 14-16

Learn More Here

ECA Winter Series: How Collaboration Among Companies and Community Hosts Will Strengthen Nuclear Fuel Cycle Innovation

March 5, 2026

DOE’s recent Request for Information on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Innovation Campuses signals federal interest in accelerating advanced fuel capabilities — potentially including HALEU production, fuel fabrication, recycling, testing infrastructure, and integrated research hubs. Today’s discussion focuses on the central question: How will collaboration among private companies and community leaders strengthen the delivery of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Innovation Campuses? Join the discussion to explore different models and how public-private collaboration can strengthen proposals, reduce risk, and build durable local support. 

Speakers will include: 

John Pfeffer - Supervisor, Town of Ashford 

Bill Goodwin - Chief Legal & Strategy Officer, Oklo 

Rod Baltzer - CEO, Deep Isolation 

Curtis Roberts II - VP of Communications and Press Officer, Orano USA

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Options for High Level Waste and Used Nuclear Fuel

February 12, 2026

The siting of new nuclear facilities requires integrated nuclear waste solutions that balance technical, regulatory, and social readiness. This goes beyond just regulatory compliance - it demands trust, transparency, and shared problem-solving among local governments, state agencies, developers, and residents. This webinar will explore how siting efforts can deliver on these environmental management goals while accelerating project timelines, developing local economies, and strengthening community confidence in long-term energy infrastructure decisions. 

Speakers include: 

Facilitator: Laura Hermann - Deputy Executive Director, ECA 

Matt Bowen - Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy 

Kara Colton - Director of Nuclear Policy, ECA 

David Reeploeg - Vice President of Federal Programs, TRIDEC 

Jack Volpato - Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance 

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Co-location Options with Nuclear Storage

January 8, 2026

As data centers and advanced fuel cycle facilities seek reliable, carbon-free power, new opportunities are emerging to co-locate these energy-intensive operations with nuclear generation and spent fuel storage sites. Such integration could strengthen grid resilience, reduce transmission losses, align high-demand digital infrastructure with established nuclear security and safety protocols and diversify economic opportunities for host communities and regions. Yet it also raises complex questions about regulatory frameworks, community acceptance, and long-term stewardship of nuclear materials. This webinar will bring together experts from the energy, technology, and policy sectors to explore how thoughtful colocation strategies can balance innovation, safety, and public trust in the next generation of nuclear infrastructure.
Speakers include:
Moderator - Jennifer Chandler - Council Member, Village of Piketon 
Randall Hemann - City Manager, City of Oak Ridge 
David Pointer - Director, Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division, ORNL
Michele Sampson - Director, Division of New and Renewed Licenses, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC
Dr. Jenifer Shafer- Associate Director for Technology and Program Director, ARPA-E

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Advancing New Nuclear with Datacenter Development

December 8, 2025

As artificial intelligence and cloud computing drive exponential growth in electricity demand, data center developers are turning to nuclear energy for reliable, carbon-free power needed to operate continuously. This session explores the concerns local officials must address when co-locating data centers with existing or new nuclear generation. Speakers will discuss regulatory considerations, what makes an “ideal” site, community engagement, and partnership models that align digital infrastructure expansion with public safety and sustainability goals.

Speakers include:

Moderator: AJ Ridge - Director of Programs, ECA

Iain Macdonald - Principal and Future Energy Systems Development Lead, HKS

Ilissa Miller - Editor-in-Chief, DataCenter Post

David Reeploeg - Executive Director, Hanford Communities

Peter Rodrik - Associate Administrator for Partnership and Acquisition Services, NNSA

Aditi Verma - Assistant Professor, University of Michigan

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Creating Emergency Response Planning for Nuclear Storage Projects

November 6, 2025

Advanced nuclear projects are moving toward construction, and local governments play a frontline role in ensuring that emergency preparedness and management systems keep pace with development. City and county officials oversee first responders, coordinate public safety communications, and maintain the trust of residents who live and work near project sites. This webinar will highlight how mayors, emergency managers, and developers collaborate to build readiness from day one—through joint planning, drills, and transparent communication. Participants will gain insight into best practices for integrating project-specific safety requirements into local emergency operations and for sustaining preparedness over the full lifecycle of a nuclear facility.

Speakers include:

Moderator: Laura Hermann - Deputy Executive Director, Energy Communities Alliance

Chief Mike Cochran - Police Chief, City of Craig, Colorado

Lea Perlas - Fusion Program Director, Virginia Department of Health

Randall Ryti - Councilor, Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Brian Scroggins - Administrator of the Division of Planning, Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects

View the full webinar recording here! 

PODCASTS ON NUCLEAR: 

Gone Fission 3/9: 

A well-known leader in cleanup of Department of Energy sites nationally is preparing to retire after more than four decades in the industry. Gone Fission podcast host Michael Butler sat down with Ken Rueter, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) to review his decades of impressive accomplishments and discuss what’s next for this seasoned executive. From completing the first-ever teardown of a complete uranium enrichment complex to ushering in the nuclear renaissance on clean federal land, Ken’s story covers the history of the Manhattan Project and sets the stage for the nuclear technology of tomorrow.

Listen here!