BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS
Senate appropriations bill moves through committee
ECA Staff | 8/6/2021
Senate bill addresses proposed elimination of PILT; plutonium pit production schedule; existing and advanced nuclear energy
This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee moved forward with an Energy and Water spending bill for FY 2022. Overall, the Senate would provide a total of $44.9 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE). The House passed its energy appropriations last week before August recess.
Compared to the House bill, the Senate bill would fund DOE’s programs at slightly lower levels. In the Senate bill:
- Office of Environmental Management: $7.7 billion
- National Nuclear Security Administration: $20 billion
- Office of Science: $7.49 billion
- Office of Nuclear Energy: $1.59 billion
- Office of Legacy Management: $178.7 million
The Senate committee addressed several issues important to ECA sites in its bill report. For example, the report includes language encouraging DOE to continue payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) in response to the proposed elimination of PILT funding at Hanford and the Savannah River Site. The language largely mirrors ECA’s letter to DOE earlier this year, which warned that elimination of PILT would impact the host communities’ ability to provide funding for emergency services, infrastructure, and schools. The committee wrote:
“…the Department is reminded of its authority under the Atomic Energy Act to make available Payment in Lieu of Taxes [PILT] to communities that host Department of Energy sites based on property taxes they would have received if the property remained on their tax rolls. This funding provides a wide variety of public services, such as emergency response, road maintenance, and funding for public schools. It is crucial that eligible
PILT communities, such as Hanford and Savannah River, continue to receive payments given their historical contribution to the Federal government and continued inability to raise adequate revenue on Federal land.”
Additionally, the committee addressed ongoing plutonium pit production plans at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Savannah River Site, where concerns are growing about timelines and schedules. The report explains:
“The Committee continues to support the program of record for plutonium pit production to maintain the readiness of our aging systems. However, the Committee notes that it has not received a comprehensive, integrated ten-year research plan for pit and plutonium aging as requested. The Committee will be unable to continue to support the program without this information. The Committee further notes that the GAO recommended that the
NNSA complete an integrated master schedule for the overall pit production effort and stated that the GAO could not fully assess ‘the extent to which the two pit production facilities will be ready to produce pits’ without such a schedule. The Committee directs the NNSA to complete an integrated master schedule for pit production no later than 180 days after the enactment of this act.”
Finally, the Senate report addressed two important items related to nuclear energy. As part of the committee’s focus on funding clean energy, there is $45 million provided for Light Water Reactor Sustainability, which the committee contends is the “most cost-effective way for the United States to maintain low-cost, carbon-free electricity is to safely extend the lives of our Nation’s existing nuclear reactors from 60
to 80 years. The Committee encourages the Department to maximize benefits of the operating light water reactor fleet under the program.” The Senate report mostly aligned with the House regarding the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, with both chambers directing DOE to “focus resources on partners capable of project delivery in the next five to seven years.”
Compare the Senate and House appropriations below (click to enlarge):
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NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP
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"CAPITALIZING ON A NEW ERA OF CLEANUP SUCCESS"
September 8-10, 2021
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
Alexandria, Virginia
Join more than 700 attendees, including senior DOE officials, Congressional leaders, DOE contractors, and state, tribal and local government leaders for the largest EM-focused gathering in the D.C. area.
Scheduled sessions at this year's workshop include:
- A New Era for EM Cleanup
- Insights from Congress
- The Next Phase of EM Success
- Partnering with DOE on Priority Issues: Environmental Justice, Cleanup Engagement and Clean Energy Production
- Upcoming EM Acquisition Plans and Schedule
- Roundtable: Lessons Learned and Improving Project Performance
- Legislative Challenges and Opportunities for the EM Program
- Roundtable: The Future of Disposal
- The Future of the EM Workforce
- Roundtable: DOE Field Office Managers
- Congressional Staff Perspective
- Entering a New Era for Hanford Tank Waste
NUCLEAR SECURITY
Pit production in SC, New Mexico among NNSA leader’s pressing priorities
Aiken Standard | 8/3/2021
National Nuclear Security Administration boss Jill Hruby in the near term plans to prioritize plutonium pit production projects in both South Carolina and New Mexico, according to a readout of a summit she recently held with members of the agency’s workforce.
Pit production, the crafting of nuclear weapon cores or triggers, is one of five “time-sensitive initiatives” Hruby has her eyes on, the meeting summary, published by the Department of Energy, shows. Others include cybersecurity, a return-to-work plan and the Biden administration’s review of U.S. nuclear capabilities and prospects, formally known as a Nuclear Posture Review.
WORKFORCE
WASTE DISPOSITION
Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation
Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation.
Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications
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.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 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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