House Schedules DOE Appropriations Markup for Next Week
ECA Staff | 5/16/2019
The House Appropriations Committee has scheduled a full committee markup for the Energy and Water Development and Defense titles for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The markup, which is set to take place on Tuesday, May 21 at 10:30 AM
ET, follows subcommittee markups earlier this week on May 15 for both spending bills. The Defense bill markup was closed to the public, but the committee announced its passage through subcommittee by voice vote later that day. The Energy and Water Development bill also passed through subcommittee on voice vote, with no amendments introduced.
The Energy and Water Development bill provides a total of $37.1 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE), an increase of $1.4 billion above FY 2019 level and $5.6 billion above the President’s budget request.
DOE's Offices of Environmental Management and Nuclear Energy receive $7.175 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively, which is consistent with FY 2019 enacted levels, and above the budget request.
The Office of Science receives a plus up of $285 million ($6.87 billion total) from FY 2019 levels and $1.3 above the request.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), however, was provided $15.9 billion in the bill, a $665.7 million increase above FY 2019 levels, but a $585 million decrease from the request. Furthermore, more NNSA funding was apportioned to Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation efforts than was requested.
A breakdown of the bill’s funding for DOE is available here.
Notably, the bill contains no funding for the Yucca Mountain project (Read more here). Proponents of the project, most notably subcommittee ranking member Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), are expected to propose an amendment to include funds in the House final bill at
the markup next week. The President’s budget included $116 million for Yucca Mountain licensing activities and interim storage (View ECA’s FY 2020 budget request chart here).
The Senate has yet to release any of their 12 spending bills so far this year. Many politicos in DC believe this is all but confirmation of an arduous appropriations process for FY 2020 – perhaps culminating in a continuing resolution (CR) extending beyond September 30.
Ahead of Tuesday’s full committee markup, House appropriators are expected to release additional details of the Energy and Water Development bill, including funding tables. ECA will continue to provide analysis of FY 2020 appropriations as information is released.
LEGISLATIVE
Reps. McNerney, Shimkus Introduce Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act
Office of Rep. John Shimkus | 5/14/2019
Similar legislation passed the House 340-72 in the 115th Congress
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Jerry McNerney (D-California) and John Shimkus (R-Illinois) introduced H.R. 2699, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019. The legislation is similar to H.R. 3053, which passed the House of Representatives in 2018 with bipartisan support.
“Our country has a dangerous buildup of inadequately secured nuclear waste,” said Congressman McNerney. “We need a short and long-term solution for the storage and disposal of nuclear waste. This hazardous logjam puts communities at risk and inhibits our ability to integrate nuclear power into a robust emissions-reducing agenda to combat the impending threats of climate change.”
“This approach, which simultaneously advances interim storage and permanent disposal, is the only solution to our nation’s nuclear waste stalemate that has gone through the legislative process and earned broad bipartisan support in either chamber,” Congressman Shimkus said. “If we’re serious about reducing emissions, the reality is nuclear power must remain a robust portion of our energy portfolio. But a failure to resolve the
waste issue will compromise this key component of any serious proposal to address climate change.”
Specially, the legislation:
- Assists in the resolution of the pending permanent repository license, which will allow the formal licensing process to determine if the Yucca Mountain site can be licensed and constructed;
- Reforms a broken financing mechanism to protect ratepayers and assure the Department of Energy (DOE) has adequate funding to construct and operate a multi-generational infrastructure project;
- Directs DOE to move forward with a temporary storage program to consolidate spent nuclear fuel from sites with a decommissioned reactor while work on the Yucca Mountain repository progresses, and prioritizes the transfer of spent fuel from seismically active areas to interim sites;
- Provides the State of Nevada and local stakeholders the opportunity to engage with the Federal government as the host State for the repository; and
- Protects our nation’s national security priorities by providing the most expeditious pathway to remove “defense-waste” from DOE sites
The original cosponsors of the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019 represent some of the 121 communities in 39 states where spent fuel and defense waste currently sits idle, as well as states that have no nuclear power plants.
STORAGE & DISPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP
NUCLEAR SECURITY
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Read ECA's Latest Publication
Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High-Level Waste Definition:
A Guide for Communities and Recommendations for DOE
This paper was developed as a guide for communities to understand a new interpretation of the statutory definition of high-level nuclear waste proposed by DOE in October 2018. This new interpretation could speed up cleanup at several sites, develop a path forward for waste stranded in interim storage and tanks, and potentially save tens of billions of dollars. The paper provides local communities and other DOE
stakeholders with information needed to enable informed decisions and constructive input to the Department as it determines next steps and implementation.
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