ECA Update 6/18; SENATE RELEASES NDAA TEXT, PADUCAH HOSTS NUCLEAR READINESS PUBLIC MEETING, AND MORE

Published: Thu, 06/18/26

Updated: Thu, 06/18/26

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT TO KNOW THIS WEEK

Last week, Kara Colton joined Paducah's nuclear readiness public meeting to discuss topics related to nuclear energy - read more below.
On Tuesday, the Senate version of NDAA was released on Tuesday following a week of closed markups on the bill. While across the chamber, the House's version of the bill may be scheduled for a floor debate as early as next week - read more below.
National Cleanup Workshop registration is open!
- 📅 Date: September 14-16 📍 Location: Arlington, VA 🔗 Don't miss out - Register Here!
Visit ECA on LinkedIn for regular updates.

PADUCAH HOSTS NUCLEAR-READINESS PUBLIC MEETING

Last week McCracken County and the City of Paducah hosted two public education meetings to provide education and outreach on nuclear energy, as local officials prepare to apply to the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority for designation as a “Nuclear Ready Community”. ECA’s Director of Nuclear Programs, Kara Colton, provided information on advanced nuclear energy technologies, siting, regulation and oversight of nuclear facilities, the nuclear energy ecosystem and supply chain, and the potential role and benefits of nuclear energy development for communities. She also explained what she believed being “nuclear ready” would mean for the community, “The designation doesn’t mean that you’re going to have a reactor or a related nuclear project in your backyard tomorrow. To me it means you’ve started education, you know the questions to ask, you know the people that you’d like to learn more from, you know things that you don’t support and you know things that you do. It’s making sure that the community has agency and a meaningful role in decision-making.”

Ms. Colton’s presentation was followed by a public comment period, where members of the community working for or with the Department of Energy or nuclear industry provided support, but many of the public comments expressed concerns including the impact or deprioritization of ongoing cleanup at the Paducah site, contamination, cumulative impacts of new nuclear development in addition to the activities at or near the site, and seismology.

At the conclusion of the public comment period, County Judge Craig Clymer and Mayor George Bray emphasized their commitment to the health and safety of the community as these new economic development opportunities are considered. State Senator Danny Carroll also spoke in favor of new nuclear projects, describing them as a major opportunity for Paducah. He also expressed support for community officials. “The local administration has done their homework, the state, we have done our homework, and the federal government has done their homework,” Carroll said. “The world is changing. We can either go with it and grow and prosper and build a better community, or we can get left behind.”

Click here to read the entire article.

SENATE RELEASES THEIR VERSION OF THE NDAA

This week, the Senate Armed Services Committee released their version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) following a week of closed session markups. The Senate NDAA includes authorizations of $41.4 billion for national security programs in the Department of Energy. Focusing in on Defense Environmental Cleanup, all authorizations in the Senate bill remained at the levels stated in DOE's FY27 budget request aside from Savannah River Site which is seeing an increase of $5,000,000.

An overview of the authorizations included in the Senate version of the NDAA and Committee Report are included in the graphic and list below (in thousands of dollars):

Carlsbad/Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: $472,020

Idaho National Laboratory: $480,021

Los Alamos National Laboratory: $293,937

Lawrence Livermore National Lab: $1,955

Nevada Site: $64,835

Oak Ridge Reservation: $511,525

Office of River Protection: $1,945,000

Richland/Hanford: $876,624

Savannah River Site: $1,715,289 ($5,000 increase from budget request)

Separations Process Research Unit: $950

Sandia National Laboratory: $1,030

A few highlights in the Senate NDAA include:

Briefing on defense reactor spent fuel management

Given the Department of Defense's stated plans to deploy nuclear reactors on military installations, the committee believes that the Department of Defense should fully assess and share with the Congress its plans for managing used nuclear fuel no later than March 1, 2027 which should include Identification of opportunities to align Department of Defense initiatives, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, with Department of Energy Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus efforts to strengthen domestic fuel-cycle, advanced manufacturing, and waste-management capabilities supporting defense requirements.

Limitation on availability of funds pending submission of report on restoration of a domestic uranium enrichment capability

The committee recommends a provision that would limit the obligation or expenditure of fiscal year 2027 travel funding for the Administrator for Nuclear Security to no more than 80 percent until the Administrator submits the report required by section 3123 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159).

Genesis Mission

The committee commends the Department of Energy for its strategic vision in the initiation of the Genesis Mission. An integrated platform connecting cutting-edge, high-performance computing, experimental facilities, artificial intelligence systems, and unique datasets across every major scientific domain will have a significant impact on scientific discovery and should provide significant value to national security. The National Nuclear Security Administration should capitalize on the successful model from the Exascale Computing Initiative to bring together industry, academia, and government in partnership to drive the Genesis Mission and accelerate security improvements and the effectiveness of U.S. strategic assets.

The House version of the NDAA passed committee earlier this month and may be scheduled for debate on the House floor as early as next week! Both the House Appropriations Bill and the House NDAA have been released, and once the Senate Appropriations Bill is passed from committee the two chambers will negotiate a joint appropriations and authorizations. As the appropriation and authorization process continues in Congress, stay up to date by visiting the newly updated ECA Federal Budget Tracker.

BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS HEARING SCHEDULE

On Capitol Hill, FY 2027 appropriations hearings are in full swing as both House and Senate committees hear testimony regarding the President's Budget Request. Below is a list of upcoming hearings of interest:

On Wednesday, June 24 at 11:00am ET, the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense will host a Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Bill- click here to tune in to the hearing.

Incase you missed it! Here are recordings of recently passed hearings:

The House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing on Nuclear Permitting Reform: Legislation to Advance Efficient Licensing - click here to rewatch the hearing.
The House Science Committee held a hearing on An Overview of the Department of Energy’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request - click here to tune in to the hearing.The House Committee on Armed Services hosted a Full Committee Markup of National Defense Authorization for Fiscal Year 2027- click here to rerewatch the hearing.
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hosted a hearing to examine the Build Nuclear with Local Materials Act, The RECHARGE Act, and a discussion draft of the Enrichment Licensing Modernization Act - click here to rewatch the hearing.
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee of Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies hosted a Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill - click here to rewatch the markup.
House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee of Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill - click here to watch the recording.
Senate Committee on Armed Services held a hearing on Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration atomic energy defense activities in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027 and the Future Years Nuclear Security Program - click here to watch the recording.
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing to Examine the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget - click here to watch the recording.
House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on FY27 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities - click here to watch the recording.
Senate Committee on Appropriations held a hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Nuclear Security Administration - click here to watch the recording.

As the FY27 appropriations and authorization process continues, stay up to date by visiting the recently updated ECA Federal Budget Tracker!

REGULATORY ROUND UP

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a policy statement on Mandatory Hearings for Reactor Licensing. This policy statement sets forth the NRC’s plan for conducting future mandatory hearings on reactor license and permit applications. The statement explains the rationale for adopting the process to be used going forward and describes the new process. The policy statement is effective on June 8, 2026.

Read the full policy statement here.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a proposed rule on Modernizing NRC Regulations for Byproduct Material Use. The NRC is proposing to amend its regulations for the licensing of byproduct material, some source material, and some special nuclear material. The proposed rule will be open to public comment until midnight on July 2, 2026. Comments can be submitted here.

Read the entire proposed rule here.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold the 737th Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards on July 8 - 10, 2026. The Committee will be conducting meetings that will include some Members being physically present at the headquarters of the NRC while other Members participate remotely. You can participate remotely via Microsoft Teams or via phone at 301–576–2978, passcode 136614530#. View a detailed agenda and the Microsoft Teams link here.

Read the entire meeting announcement here.

The Department of Energy published a meeting announcement on Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Paducah. The meeting will take place on Thursday, July 16, 2026; 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. CDT at the West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC), Emerging Technology Center, Room 215, 5100 Alben Barkley Drive, Paducah, Kentucky 42001. and streamed on YouTube (link here), no registration is necessary.

Read the entire announcement here.

The Department of Energy published a meeting announcement on Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Savannah River Site. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 21 from 9:00 am - 4:00pm EDT at the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative at 4345 Trolley Line Road, Aiken, South Carolina 29801 and streamed on YouTube (link here), no registration is necessary.

Read the entire announcement here.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and Department of Transportation (DOT) published a request for comment on the Development of a Commercially Viable System-Centric Small Modular Reactor Concept for Deployment in the Marine Transportation System to support the development of a U.S.-built scalable, repeatable, commercially viable, system-centric, small modular reactor (SMR) and their deployment within the marine transportation system. This Request for Information (RFI) for a single vessel or technology demonstration seeks public feedback on proficient system architecture, including liability frameworks, insurance pathways, port acceptance, workforce development, and standards integration for vessel deployment. The request for comment will be open to public comment until midnight on August 5, 2026. Comments can be submitted here.

Read the entire request for comment here.

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE ECA BULLETIN

At the ECA Forum, the latest issue of the ECA Bulletin was released in print, and now a digital copy can be accessed on the ECA website, and by clicking the button below. Reread important updates from ECA like:

South Carolina's nuclear energy growth
Resources for communities - ECA's Reprocessing Guide & Nuclear Handbook
How energy communities are open for business
Current FY 2027 federal budget and appropriations breakdown
Featured ECA webinars
...and more!

Read the ECA Bulletin Here!

REGISTER TODAY FOR THE NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP

Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is pleased to host the 12th annual National Cleanup Workshop from September 14th - 16th, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. Hear from senior DOE leaders, local government officials, and industry leaders about DOE's cleanup priorities, the future of the workforce, and more.

Click Here to Register!

Key Topics of Discussion Include:

EM’s new vision for utilizing legacy cleanup to advance American Energy dominance, innovation and affordability.
The opportunities for EM to contribute to, and benefit from, DOE’s Genesis Mission to more effectively utilize AI to tackle national challenges.
The intersection of legacy cleanup and advancing DOE’s modernization of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.
EM’s role in the new nuclear renaissance underway across America.
Industry leadership perspectives on DOE’s cleanup and energy missions.
The potential for local communities to capitalize on advances in new nuclear.

Schedule:

Tuesday, September 15: Full-Day Programming, Evening Networking Reception

Wednesday, September 16: Full-Day Programming

Full agenda coming soon!

Click Here to Register!

CATCH UP ON RECENT HEADLINES:

DOE grant to support Nebraska nuclear energy training, workforce development

A $1.4 million Department of Energy grant will power nuclear reactor safety training and workforce development in Nebraska through a collaboration among the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering, Nebraska Public Power District, Idaho National Laboratory, Southeast Community College, Asian Community and Cultural Center, and industry partners such as Orano and Kairos Power.

Read the full article here.

NRC launches environmental review of Holtec’s new-build plans for Palisades

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is set to prepare an environmental impact statement for its review of Holtec International’s application to site two Holtec SMR-300 reactors at the Palisades site in Covert, Mich. The two planned reactors would be known as Pioneer-1 and -2.

Read the full article here.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

National Cleanup Workshop 2026

Arlington, VA | September 14-16

Learn More Here

CATCH UP ON PAST WEBINARS

Click the button below to visit ECA's YouTube Channel to rewatch past webinars, and find the recordings from our most recent webinars below!

Click Here to Visit ECA's YouTube Channel!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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Monitor DOE spending bills, detailed site budgets, and more. Find everything you need to know about the budget here!

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