ENERGY COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE
ECA debuts online budget tracker
ECA Staff | 9/26/2019
The Energy Communities Alliance’s website has a new “budget tracker” page that follows all of the relevant funding legislation for the upcoming fiscal year. This resource provides the dates of votes, the bill texts, and bill reports for energy appropriations, defense appropriations, and the National
Defense Authorization Act. Whenever these bills progress through the legislative process, the budget tracker will be updated to reflect that movement.
The new webpage also includes a chart containing specific environmental cleanup funding at each site and a chart that shows the overall funding level for defense environmental cleanup over the last 10 fiscal years.
View ECA’s budget tracker here.
LEGISLATIVE
McNerney, Shimkus nuclear waste legislation advances
ECA Staff | 9/26/2019
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change marked up H.R. 2699, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019, on Thursday, September 26.
Per a committee memorandum, the bill would "update the ability of the Department of Energy (DOE) to manage nuclear waste" and "addresses the need for both interim storage and long-term disposal of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel
(SNF)."
Additionally, "The bill would permit DOE to undertake 'infrastructure activities' intended to enable construction and operation of a repository at Yucca Mountain, including safety upgrades, site preparation, construction of a rail line, and grid connection.
The bill was reported favorably out of the subcommittee by a voice vote and will now be sent to the full committee.
SHIPMENTS & TRANSPORTATION
Preparing for Nuclear Waste Transportation
U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board | 9/26/2019
The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (Board) has assessed that the Department of Energy (DOE) must address the issue of ensuring spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) is equipped to be transported to a nuclear waste repository or
an interim storage site.The exact destination for these wastes was not considered in this evaluation, nor were potential transportation routes. The Board’s review targeted technical and scientific issues only, without consideration of institutional or social issues.
Small quantities of SNF and HLW have been commonly moved between facilities within the boundaries of DOE sites, but not off site. With larger quantities of SNF and HLW, significant planning and coordination is required by DOE. The Board continues to work with DOE, DOE contractors, and national laboratory scientists to establish a large, nationwide transportation program.
The Board identified 30 technical issues that need to be addressed in preparing for SNF and HLW transportation. Some of the technical issues apply to all waste types while others apply to specific groups of waste or to only one specific waste type. Not all the technical issues have to be addressed before the first of the waste is transported, but all 30 issues must be addressed before all of the waste is
eventually transported.
The full report can be read here.
NUCLEAR SECURITY
NEW NUCLEAR
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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 [email protected].
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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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