Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1995
Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to revise and rename it the Integrated Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Act of 1995.
(Sec. 1) Instructs the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to accept spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by not later than January 31, 1998.
Entitles contract holders to specified remedies for the Secretary's failure to meet service contract obligations, or to accept spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste as mandated under this Act.
States that the Nuclear Waste Fund shall fund the execution of service contract and implementation of the Secretary's responsibilities, including the acceptance of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at contract holder sites and transporting such fuel or waste to a private storage facility.
Establishes an integrated spent nuclear fuel management system for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, including its storage, transportation, and disposal.
Prescribes procedural guidelines for the use of: (1) railroads; (2) transportation planning and requirements; (3) multi-purpose canister systems; (4) interim storage facilities; (5) permanent disposal; (6) land withdrawal; and (7) private storage facilities.
Prescribes consultation and assistance guidelines between the Secretary and the State of Nevada.
Prescribes budget priorities for purposes of annual requests for appropriations from the Waste Fund. Prescribes a fee schedule for electricity and nuclear fuel used to generate electricity in a civilian nuclear power reactor.
Sets forth advance contract prerequisites for utilization or production facility license renewals.
Reestablishes the Nuclear Waste Fund and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish by rule the appropriate portion of the costs of managing high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel allocable to the interim storage or permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from atomic energy defense activities; and (2) advise the Congress annually of the amount of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from atomic energy defense activities requiring management in the integrated spent nuclear fuel management system.
Subjects the Secretary to all Federal, State, and local environmental or land use laws and regulations, with specified exceptions.
Grants the U.S. courts of appeals original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions under this Act.
Provides that upon a contract holder's request, the Secretary shall take title to or possession of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste without removing it from the contract holder's designated storage site if the Secretary cannot accept such items within the contract's acceptance schedule.
Requires the NRC to promulgate regulatory guidelines for: (1) financial assurances for low-level radioactive waste site closures; and (2) training and qualification of civilian nuclear powerplant personnel.
Reestablishes the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
Authorizes appropriations.
Directs the Secretary to take action as necessary to improve the management of the civilian radioactive waste management program to ensure that it is operated to the maximum extent like a private business. States that the program is not subject to civil service regulations.
Abolishes the Interim Storage Fund, the Monitored Retrievable Storage Commission, the Office of Subseabed Disposal Research, and the Office of Nuclear Waste Negotiator. Repeals all references to the Yucca Mountain site.
Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress whether particular milestones have been reached with respect to: (1) multi-purpose canister systems; (2) land withdrawals; (3) interim storage facilities; and (4) acceptance of spent nuclear fuel from contract holders.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) create a value engineering function within the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management; and (2) employ on an on-going basis, integrated performance modeling regarding site characterization.
(Sec. 2) Sets forth transition provisions for the continuation of: (1) contracts; (2) Nuclear Waste Fund; (3) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management; and (4) Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
(Sec. 3) Mandates that amounts in the Nuclear Waste Fund be appropriated exclusively for certain authorized purposes cited in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. Precludes such appropriations from being taken into account for any budget enforcement procedures under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Amends such Act to provide that appropriations to the Nuclear Waste Fund are not subject to its discretionary spending limits or to a certain allocation of the Energy and Waster Development Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.
Reduces specified discretionary spending limits under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E342-343)