Kinzinger introduces bill to support nuclear tech

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) reintroduced legislation that would aim to streamline and increase the efficiency of nuclear technology permitting and licensing decisions.

H.R. 1578, the Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act, would work to modernize nuclear fees and licensing procedures. The bill would establish updated procedures and timelines for environmental and safety evaluations to make permitting and licensing decisions. The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Kinzinger’s reintroduced legislation also proposes to expand fee reforms to cover nuclear fuel facilities, aims for a cost-effective regulation of the nuclear supply chain, and hopes to improve the efficiency of advice to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.

The congressman released the following statement:

“At a time when we so desperately need to work together and meet in the middle to solve our problems, energy policymaking is no exception. The recent weather storms have been a great reminder of how important it is to have a diverse energy supply, as well as a reliable source of baseload power. We need to have a safety net when other sources struggle – and time and time again, a substantial portion of that safety net has been nuclear power. We need an all-of-the-above strategy, one that I have advocated for a long time, and one that has worked in our state of Illinois. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation, and I will continue to advocate for and support this vital resource,” Kinzinger said.