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H.R. 6252House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act

To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report and conduct a rulemaking on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Randy K. Weber, Sr.Rep. Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX)
Introduced November 6, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 12:49 PM UTC

The Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to study how it can speed up and simplify the environmental review process for new nuclear reactor applications. Within 90 days the NRC must report to Congress on ways to use categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and existing impact statements, and within two years it must issue a final rule that puts those ideas into practice. The bill mainly affects the NRC, nuclear plant developers, and other federal, state, and local agencies involved in permitting.

Key Provisions

  • The NRC must submit a detailed report to the relevant House and Senate committees within 90 days of the law’s enactment, outlining how it will make environmental reviews more efficient.
  • The report must examine using categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and impact statements from other agencies, as well as creating new categorical exclusions for nuclear projects.
  • It must consider allowing case‑by‑case decisions to use an environmental assessment instead of a full impact statement, and permitting an applicant’s impact statement to serve as the NRC’s draft.
  • The NRC should explore digital tools for real‑time document sharing and coordination with applicants and other agencies.
  • Within two years after the report, the NRC must issue a final rule that adopts the most practical measures identified to streamline nuclear reactor environmental reviews.
  • The rule may include revisions to NRC regulations and guidance to reduce burdens on licensees while maintaining public openness and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security.

Energy Subcommittee

November 10, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 6, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

November 6, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security.

Energy Subcommittee

November 10, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 6, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6252

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 6, 2023

Mr. Weber of Texas (for himself, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Pfluger, and Mr. Latta) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report and conduct a rulemaking on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act.

2.

Facilitation of efficient environmental reviews

(a)

In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (in this section referred to as the Commission) shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the efforts of the Commission to facilitate efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications, including through expanded use of categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and generic environmental impact statements.

(b)

Report

In completing the report under subsection (a), the Commission shall—

(1)

describe the actions the Commission will take to implement the amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) made by section 321 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023;

(2)

consider—

(A)

using through adoption, incorporation by reference, or other appropriate means, categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and environmental impact statements prepared by other Federal agencies to streamline environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(B)

using categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and environmental impact statements prepared by the Commission to streamline environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(C)

using mitigated findings of no significant impact in environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission to reduce the impact of a proposed action to a level that is not significant;

(D)

the extent to which the Commission may rely on prior studies or analyses prepared by Federal, State, and local governmental permitting agencies to streamline environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(E)

opportunities to coordinate the development of environmental assessments and environmental impact statements with other Federal agencies to avoid duplicative environmental reviews and to streamline environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(F)

opportunities to streamline formal and informal consultations and coordination with other Federal, State, and local governmental permitting agencies during environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(G)

opportunities to streamline the Commission’s analyses of alternatives, including the Commission’s analysis of alternative sites, in environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications by the Commission;

(H)

establishing new categorical exclusions that could be applied to actions relating to new nuclear reactors applications;

(I)

amending section 51.20(b) of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, to allow the Commission to determine on a case-specific basis whether an environmental assessment (rather than an environmental impact statement or supplemental environmental impact statement) is appropriate for a particular nuclear reactor application, including in proceedings in which the Commission relies upon a generic environmental impact statement for advanced nuclear reactors;

(J)

authorizing the use of an applicant’s environmental impact statement as the Commission’s draft environmental impact statement, consistent with section 107(f) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336a(f));

(K)

opportunities to adopt online and digital technologies, including technologies that would allow applicants and cooperating agencies to upload documents and coordinate with the Commission to edit documents in real time, that would streamline communications between—

(i)

the Commission and applicants; and

(ii)

the Commission and other relevant cooperating agencies;

(L)

in addition to implementing measures under subsection (c), potential revisions to part 51 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, and relevant Commission guidance documents, to—

(i)

facilitate efficient environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications;

(ii)

assist decision-making about relevant environmental issues;

(iii)

maintain openness with the public;

(iv)

meet obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

(v)

reduce burdens on licensees, applicants, and the Commission; and

(3)

include a schedule for promulgating the rule required under subsection (c).

(c)

Rulemaking

Not later than 2 years after the submission of the report under subsection (a), the Commission shall promulgate a final rule implementing, to the maximum extent practicable, measures considered by the Commission under subsection (b)(2) that are necessary to streamline the Commission’s review of nuclear reactor applications.