Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act,a bipartisan and comprehensive blueprint for bolstering the next-generation of the nation’s largest source of reliable and carbon-free power. NELA is backed by 13 additional original cosponsors and a broad range of advanced nuclear advocates, including ClearPath Action.
NELA addresses the lack of aggressive milestones for government-led nuclear energy R&D and policy aimed at accelerating the commercialization of cutting-edge new American nuclear power technologies.
Original co-sponsors are Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Idaho Republicans James Risch and Mike Crapo, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).
ClearPath joined a coalition of eight other organizations in applauding the introduction: Third Way, Nuclear Innovation Alliance, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, BPC Action, American Council for Capital Formation, Clean Air Task Force, CRES Forum and the American Nuclear Society.
In his latest whiteboard video, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell walks through the main details of NELA and why it is worth closely tracking.
That includes establishing specific goals to align federal, lab and private-sector efforts; developing a 10-year strategic plan that supports advanced nuclear R&D goals; providing initial domestic supplies of the fuel needed for many U.S. advanced reactor designs; a reliable testing ground for advanced fuels and materials; and nuclear engineering scholarships to maintain a robust pipeline of nuclear engineering talent.
RELATED NEWS
The Department of Energy announced recipients of $19 million in awards as part of a larger effort to help domestic advanced nuclear technology projects. This was the fourth round of funding – totaling $117 million – that has been awarded so far under this effort.
REPUBLICANS TOUT INNOVATION TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE
Surrounding this week’s failed Senate vote on the Green New Deal, Republicans took to the floor to highlight practical measure to address climate change and expand clean energy that could attract (and has already attracted) bipartisan backing.
“There are some policies that both parties can support that I think can make a real difference in real time,” Murkowski said Tuesday, ahead of the official NELA introduction the following day. “We’re not in a situation, in a place, where we’re doing nothing.”
Last Congress approved legislation expanding the 45Q carbon capture and 45J advanced nuclear incentives, increasing (and in some cases giving record) funding for DOE cleantech R&D, as well as spurring hydropower. “That was just last year in terms of those policies that we put in place that are moving us forward in the right direction,” Murkowski said. “It is important for us around here to make sure that we don’t distract from those pragmatic, practical solutions, that we don’t amp the rhetoric up so high that we can’t get ourselves to the place where we can work cooperatively, collaboratively, to get to these solutions.”
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) also promised to work with Democrats to “pass meaningful legislation,” noting past and present bipartisan carbon capture and advanced nuclear work.
Alexander laid out his “New Manhattan Project for Clean Energy”, a five-year project with 10 “grand challenges” that will “use American research and technology to put our country and our world firmly on the path for a cleaner cheaper energy.” Among those 10 challenges include building one or more advanced nuclear reactors, more efficient and lower carbon natural gas combustion technologies, carbon capture (“the holy grail of clean energy”), better and grid-scale batteries and doubling energy research funding for DOE’s Office of Science and the 17 national labs. “This is a bold agenda and hopefully a bipartisan agenda,” Alexander said. His plan earned bipartisan praise from Coons and others at a DOE budget hearing in Alexander’s subcommittee Wednesday.
TUESDAY Energy Secretary Rick Perry testifies on DOE’s budget request at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
TUESDAY Senate Environment and Public Works hearing on Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversight.
WEDNESDAY Atomic Wings briefing on Capitol Hill co-sponsored by ClearPath and the Department of Energy on “Advanced Nuclear Public Policy Momentum in Congress.” Featuring former NRC Commissioner Jeff Merrifield, Senate energy panel nuclear expert Ben Reinke and Clean Air Task Force’s Brett Rapal. RSVP
THURSDAY ARPA-E Innovation Showcase on the Hill, hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center’s American Energy Innovation Council. ARPA-E Acting Director Chanette Armstrong will give remarks. RSVP
