This bill modifies the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to change how the federal government prioritizes accepting spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste from civilian nuclear power plants. Rather than a first-come, first-served approach, the Department of Energy would now prioritize acceptance based on four factors: whether a reactor is shut down or shutting down, the population density of the area surrounding the reactor, the earthquake risk in that region, and national security concerns about storing waste on-site. Reactors meeting these criteria—particularly those that are decommissioned, located in densely populated areas, in high-earthquake-hazard zones, or in areas with national security risks—would receive priority for having their waste removed and transferred to federal storage or disposal facilities. The bill affects nuclear power plant operators and communities hosting these facilities, which could speed up waste removal from certain locations. The legislation does not specify new funding or implementation timelines, instead amending existing law to guide Department of Energy decision-making on waste acceptance.
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