Markey, Boxer, Sanders introduce three new nuclear safety bills

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http://plymouth.wickedlocal.com/article/20140513/NEWS/140518750

Three senators introduce three new nuclear safety bills

Three bills introduced in the Senate today could expedite transfers of spent fuels to dry cask storage, expand emergency planning zones, maintain security zones, and allow communities a greater say in how nuclear power plants are decommissioned.

Posted May. 13, 2014 @ 1:23 pm
Updated May 15, 2014 at 5:49 AM

WASHINGTON D.C. – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced three bills this week that may improve the safety and security of decommissioned reactors and the storage of spent nuclear fuel at nuclear plants across the nation.

The Dry Cask Storage Act of 2014 (Markey, Boxer, Sanders) would ensure that every nuclear reactor operator complies with an NRC-approved plan that would require the safe removal of spent nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pools and place that spent fuel into dry cask storage within 7 years of the time the plan is submitted to the NRC. The legislation also provides funding to help reactor licensees implement the plans and expands the emergency planning zone for non-compliant reactor operators to 50 miles.

Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2014 (Boxer, Sanders, Markey) would prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from issuing exemptions from its emergency response or security requirements for spent fuel stored at nuclear reactors that have permanently shut down until all of the spent nuclear fuel stored at the site has been moved into dry casks, which are a more secure and safe option for storage. NRC has determined that earthquakes would be the most likely cause of a spent fuel pool failure that could result in a spontaneous fire, the release of large quantities of radiation, and widespread contamination, but has granted every request from emergency response requirements that it has ever received from a licensee of a decommissioning reactor.

Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2014 (Sanders, Boxer, Markey) would ensure that states and local communities have a meaningful role in the crafting and preparation of decommissioning plans for retired nuclear plants located in those areas. The bill also requires NRC to publicly and transparently approve or reject every proposed decommissioning plan, which it currently is not required to do.

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1. Senators: Nuclear decommissioning process is flawed

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/206110-senators-nuclear-decommissioning-process-is-flawed

Senators: Nuclear decommissioning process is flawed

By Timothy Cama - 05/14/14 12:43 PM EDT

Senators sharply criticized the federal government’s oversight of decommissioning nuclear power plants, saying it does not ensure a safe process or adequate local involvement.

Three Senators in the Environment and Public Works Committee aired their grievances at a Wednesday morning hearing the day after they introduced three bills to change how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) oversees decommissioning.

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Boxer, Sanders and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced three bills Tuesday to reform the decommissioning process. They would end exemptions to safety and security requirements until all fuel stored is transferred into dry casks, require fuel to be moved to dry tasks within seven years of the time the decommissioning plan is submitted and guarantee involvement of states and local communities in the planning process.

Markey spoke specifically about the dry cask storage bill, which would reduce the amount of time that spent fuel rods are stored in water tanks, where they are dangerous.

“If an accident or terrorist attack were to occur, it could lead to radiation releases far greater than at Chernobyl or Fukushima,” Markey said.

Republicans at the hearing cautioned against the changes and said there is no reason to criticize the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s actions.

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2. An archive of the hearing webcast, as well as the witness statements, are posted at the EPW website.

http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2014/5/13/senators-markey-boxer-and-sanders-introduce-legislation-to-i.html

"Senators Markey, Boxer and Sanders Introduce Legislation to Increase Safety at Nuclear Plants"
May 13, 2014

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works CommitteeU.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA, photo at left), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced three bills today aimed at improving the safety and security of decommissioning reactors and the storage of spent nuclear fuel at nuclear plants across the nation.

The three bills address safety of spent fuel storage and decommissioning plans. They are entitled: Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2014; Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2014 (see the bill, Sen. Sanders' press release, and a one-page summary); Dry Cask Storage Act of 2014. To learn more, see the press release at Sen. Markey's website.

The EPW Committee will hold and webcast a hearing entitled “Nuclear Reactor Decommissioning: Stakeholder Views” on Wed., May 14th, at 10 AM Eastern. Witnesses include CA and VT officials, and spokespeople from NRDC and NEI.

Please urge your two U.S. Senators to support these three bills. You can contact your Senators via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at [phone].
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Update on May 15, 2014

An archive of the hearing webcast, as well as the witness statements, are posted at the EPW website.

Sens. Boxer, Markey, and Sanders have also issued a press release, making a public a letter they've written to NRC Chairwoman Macfarlane, citing wildfires near the San Onofre nuclear power plant in southern CA. The fires erupted on the same day as the hearing. Southern California Edison evacuated a dozen workers from San Onofre. As the Senators mentioned in their letter, San Onofre's storage pools were designed for 1,600 irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies, but now contain 2,600. The Senators cite a report NRC Chairwoman Macfarlane herself co-authored in 2003, documenting the potentially catastrophic risks of pool fires. They urge that NRC cease and desist from exempting decommissioning reactors from emergency preparedness and security requirements, due to ongoing high-level radioactive waste storage risks.

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3. Recommend. n/t