S. 4324Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Jobs, Not Waste Act of 2024

Introduced May 14, 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 4:37 PM UTC

The Jobs, Not Waste Act of 2024 ends the federal licensing process for a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and bars the Department of Energy from using the site for that purpose. It also orders the site to be reclaimed and mitigated for any environmental damage. Within 180 days, the Office of Management and Budget must deliver a public study on the economic and job‑creation potential of alternative uses such as defense facilities, data centers, renewable energy, and scientific research.

Key Provisions

  • Repeals the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act provision and Public Law 107‑200 that authorized the Yucca Mountain repository.
  • Withdraws the construction authorization application and terminates the NRC licensing proceeding for Yucca Mountain.
  • Prohibits the Secretary of Energy from considering Yucca Mountain for any future nuclear waste repository.
  • Requires the Secretary to reclaim the site and mitigate environmental impacts from prior activities.
  • Directs the OMB director to submit, within 180 days, a study to Congress and the public on the economic viability and job‑creating benefits of alternative uses of the site, including defense, data center, renewable energy, and research options.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

May 14, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 14, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

May 14, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 14, 2024

II

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4324

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 14, 2024

Ms. Rosen (for herself and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To terminate the Yucca Mountain licensing proceeding and require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress a study on the economic viability and job-creating benefits of alternative uses of the Yucca Mountain site, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Jobs, Not Waste Act of 2024.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A)

the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;

(B)

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and

(C)

the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Commission

The term Commission means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.

(4)

Yucca Mountain site

The term Yucca Mountain site has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101).

3.

Termination of the Yucca Mountain licensing proceeding

(a)

Repeals

(1)

Nuclear Waste Policy Act provision

Section 160 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10172) is repealed.

(2)

Public Law 107–200

Public Law 107–200 (42 U.S.C. 10135 note; 116 Stat. 735) is repealed.

(b)

Termination

Effective on the date of enactment of this Act—

(1)

the application for a construction authorization for a repository at the Yucca Mountain site filed with the Commission by the Secretary is withdrawn; and

(2)

the Commission licensing proceeding for the proposed repository at the Yucca Mountain site is terminated.

(c)

Prohibition on future consideration

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall not consider (or reconsider) the Yucca Mountain site for the location of a repository.

(d)

Reclamation and mitigation

As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall take all reasonable and necessary steps—

(1)

to reclaim the Yucca Mountain site; and

(2)

to mitigate any significant adverse environmental impacts caused by site characterization and other activities associated with the filing of the application for a construction authorization referred to in subsection (b)(1).

4.

Study on the economic benefit of alternative uses of the Yucca Mountain site

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make available to the public, a study on the economic viability and job-creating benefits of alternative uses of the Yucca Mountain site as described in the report of the Government Accountability Office numbered GAO–11–847 and dated September 2011, including—

(1)

defense activities, such as a command facility for unmanned aircraft systems;

(2)

a secure electronic data center;

(3)

the development of renewable energy sources; and

(4)

scientific research.