Removing Nuclear Waste from our Communities Act of 2017

Removing Nuclear Waste from our Communities Act of 2017

This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to enter into new contracts (or modify existing contracts) with the licensee of an interim consolidated storage facility in order to take title to and store in it either high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel of domestic origin.

The bill defines:

• "interim consolidated storage facility" as a facility licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel received from DOE or from two or more persons that generate or hold title to such fuel generated at a civilian nuclear power reactor, and
• "high-level radioactive waste" as including Greater than Class C waste.

The bill assigns priority to storage of such waste and spent fuel located on sites without an operating nuclear reactor and with over 15 million residents within a 50-mile radius.

The bill makes appropriations targeted for the Nuclear Waste Fund available to pay for costs in connection with storage in an interim consolidated storage facility.

Beginning in FY2020 DOE shall not expend, on fees for dry modes of storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel, any amounts exceeding the cumulative amount of interest generated by the fund each fiscal year.