Proposed legislation could mean millions of dollars in relief for communities still housing spent reactor fuel at nuclear plants, according to two lawmakers from Illinois.
The catalyst for the upcoming bill is the former Zion plant in Illinois, where used fuel remains in storage nearly two decades after the facility’s closure in 1998. “Zion and communities like it have been unfairly saddled with storing our nation’s stranded nuclear waste – forced to shoulder the burdens of storage with no compensation in return,” said U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), whose district includes Zion.
The bill, titled “Sensible, Timely Relief for America’s Nuclear Districts’ Economic Development (STRANDED),” has not officially been introduced, but Schneider and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) plan to submit the legislation in their respective chambers of Congress. According to Schneider’s legislative staff, they are finalizing co-sponsors before the bill is introduced.
STRANDED proposes each community be paid $15 per year for each kilogram of spent nuclear fuel that remains on-site within its jurisdiction. For the roughly 1,000 tons of waste at the old Zion plant, the city of Zion would receive about $15 million annually.
Many cities that host once-active nuclear power sites face economic difficulties. When plants are shut down, companies no longer pay the same amount of property taxes, leaving communities with a large chunk of real estate that can’t be developed and a tax deficit.
STRANDED would also make nuclear waste communities eligible for New Markets Tax Credits, which were established in 2000 to provide federal tax credits to promote business and real estate development in distressed communities.
“For years communities have been forced to house this waste without consent or compensation, despite the immeasurable negative impact to their local economies,” Duckworth said. “Since the federal government has failed to open a permanent repository the STRANDED Act will help affected areas around the country that are facing hardship now. Zion can’t wait any longer.”
