Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2016

Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2016

This bill amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to require a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensee to submit to the NRC a post-shutdown decommissioning activities report (PSDAR) regarding the shutdown of a nuclear facility.

In the state where the nuclear facility is located, the NRC is required to: (1) solicit public comments on a proposed PSDAR; (2) conduct at least two public hearings; and (3) invite the state to file a statement of support, nonsupport, or conditional support for the proposed PSDAR with specific recommendations that could lead to support.

The bill prescribes the criteria for determining whether a proposed PSDAR is permissible if a host state files a statement of conditional support.

The NRC must determine the adequacy or inadequacy of a proposed PSDAR and issue a decision document accordingly.

The NRC must not approve a proposed PSDAR unless the proposed PSDAR requires compliance with applicable state law relating to air, water, soil quality, or radiological standards if the state law is more restrictive than its federal counterpart.

The NRC must notify: (1) each licensee of the opportunity to develop a revised PSDAR for any facility for which a PSDAR has been submitted but for which decontamination and dismantling activities have either not been commenced, or have been commenced for less than one year; and (2) each state within 50 miles of such facility that they have the opportunity to consult with the licensee who submitted the PSDAR.