Two U.S. senators last week pressed the top appropriators in each chamber of Congress to ensure communities near retired nuclear power plants receive millions of dollars of economic assistance in the current federal budget year.
“Strong funding is necessary to support public works investments and economic diversification initiatives in communities across the country,” Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) wrote in a Nov. 14 letter. “The scale of the challenges facing these communities, in addition to further expected nuclear power plant closures, creates a need for robust economic adjustment assistance funding.”
The letter was submitted to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and House Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-Texas).
The report for H.R. 3055 specifically would provide $17 million in assistance for nuclear closure committees through the Economic Development Administration. In the report, the House Appropriations Committee said the funds should be used for programs “which shall include, but not be limited to, public works investments and economic diversification initiatives in communities impacted by recent or scheduled nuclear power plant closures.”
The House in June passed the legislation, a “minibus” appropriations package covering the Departments of Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, and other agencies. The Senate passed its version of the spending bill in late October.
Duckworth and Collins asked the appropriators to ensure the $17 million is in the conference report for the final version of the bill. Duckworth, with co-sponsors including Collins, in June introduced the STRANDED Act, which would provide federal assistance to communities left with radioactive used fuel at nuclear power plants. The bill was referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
