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Summary:
Nuclear energy policy issues facing Congress include questions about radioactive waste management, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, terrorism, and the Price-Anderson Act nuclear liability system. The Bush Administration has stressed the importance of nuclear power in the nation's energy policy, although it has requested relatively little additional R&D funding. The Administration's FY2003 budget request included $38.5 million for a Department of Energy (DOE) effort to encourage deployment of new commercial nuclear power plants by 2010. Because final action on those funding proposals was not taken in the 107th Congress, DOE nuclear programs are now operating under a short-term continuing resolution. Several bills were introduced, but not passed, in the 107th Congress to encourage the growth of nuclear power. A number of nuclear provisions were included in comprehensive energy legislation (H.R. 4) passed by the House August 2, 2001, and by the Senate April 25, 2002. Conferees were unable to reach agreement on the measure. The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States raised questions about nuclear power plant security. Reactor security provisions were included in a Price-Anderson extension bill passed by the House November 27, 2001 (H.R. 2983), and in several other bills. An extra $36 million for nuclear power plant security was provided by the FY2002 supplemental appropriations bill, included in the FY2002 Defense Appropriations Bill passed by Congress December 20, 2001 (P.L. 107-117). Bills to strengthen nuclear power plant security have been introduced in the 108th Congress (S. 6, S. 131). Disposal of highly radioactive waste has been one of the most controversial aspects of nuclear power. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA, P.L. 97-425), as amended in 1987, requires DOE to conduct detailed physical characterization of Yucca Mountain in Nevada as a permanent underground repository for high-level waste. President Bush recommended approval of the site February 15, 2002, and Nevada Governor Guinn on April 8, 2002, issued a "state veto" of the site, as allowed by NWPA. On May 8, 2002, the House passed a resolution to overturn the "state veto" and allow further activity at Yucca Mountain to proceed (H.J.Res. 87). The resolution was passed by the Senate on July 9 and signed by the President July 23, 2002 (P.L. 107-200). Whether progress on nuclear waste disposal and other congressional action will revive the U.S. nuclear power industry's growth will depend primarily on economic considerations. Natural gas- and coal-fired power plants currently are favored over nuclear reactors for new generating capacity. However, some electric utilities are seeking approval of sites for possible new reactors.
