June 30

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has introduced bipartisan legislation that would promote the establishment of privately owned and operated used nuclear fuel storage and recycling facilities.

Domenici, along with Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ala., introduced the Strengthening Management of Advanced Recycling Technologies, or SMART, Act.

The SMART Act establishes a competitive 50-50 cost share program between the Department of Energy and private industry to finance engineering and design work and the development of license applications for up to two spent fuel recycling facilities. The bill also establishes an economic incentive program for communities that wish to host interim storage facilities for waste. The SMART Act authorizes DOE to offer long-term contracts for spent fuel recycling services and for storage facility operators.

Contact Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at (330) 865-6172 or bgeiselman@crain.com

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