March 9, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Managing Director Heather Reams released the following statement upon the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works hearing to discuss S. 512, the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA).
“Today’s hearing focused on the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act underscores the critical role that nuclear energy continues to play in producing clean, safe, and reliable power for American households, businesses and infrastructure,” said Reams. “The NRC’s regulatory environment is broken, and in urgent need of reform. Its structure is outdated, drowning innovators in burdensome red tape, and is therefore too rigid to allow for new technologies and innovations to be brought to market. If we want advanced energy solutions that contribute to a cleaner environment, we need a new approach to government regulations that embraces innovation. To this end, Senator Barrasso’s call to encourage innovation in our nuclear sector and the continued implementation of state of the art, energy-efficient technology for future generations is right on the mark.”
Last week, Senate Committee Environment and Public Works Chairman Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) joined with a bipartisan group of Senators, including Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), to introduce this legislation. The bill establishes new transparency and accountability measures for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s budget and fee programs, improves the efficiency of uranium regulation, and develops a regulatory framework for the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors.
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Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization founded in 2013 to engage Republican policymakers and the public about commonsense, conservative solutions to address our nation’s need for abundant, reliable energy while preserving our environment.