PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS ADVANCE ACT

 Last month, Congress passed S.870, An Act to Amend the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. The legislation, which passed with an overwhelming majority, not only authorizes appropriations for the United States Fire Administration and firefighter assistance grant programs, it includes the Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act

Yesterday, President Biden finished the last stage of the legislative process by signing the act into law. 

"Earlier, I signed the ADVANCE Act, a bipartisan win for American energy security, innovation, and achieving economy-wide, net-zero emissions by 2050. Clean nuclear power and good union jobs. That's what the ADVANCE Act will help deliver."

 

Provisions of the ADVANCE Act include:

  • Directing the NRC to review its current licensing process for new nuclear technology;

  • Directing the NRC within 18 months, to develop risk-informed, performance-based strategies and guidance to license and regulate microreactors;

  • Directing the NRC within 180 days, to submit a report to Congress on manufacturing and construction for nuclear energy projects;

  • Directing the NRC within 12 months, to update its mission statement to convey that licensing and regulation of nuclear energy activities be conducted in a manner that does not unnecessarily limit “the benefits of nuclear energy technology to society;”

  • Allowing the NRC chair to appoint up to 120 people into the excepted service at any given time, as well as up to 20 more people into term-limited positions in any fiscal year; and

  • Providing federal funding to cover licensing and other relevant costs for the first advanced nuclear power operator to successfully deploy its technology.

“Today is a momentous day for our climate and America’s clean energy future,” said Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, in a written statement. “This bipartisan law will strengthen our energy and national security, lower greenhouse gas emissions and create thousands of new jobs, while ensuring the continued safety of this zero-emissions energy source.”

 

ECA applauds all the legislators who played a role in the passage of the ADVANCE Act and we look forward to leveraging their work as part of our efforts to build capacity and partnerships among federal, state, local and Tribal decision-makers, technology developers, utilities and industry through our New Nuclear Initiative.


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