Nuclear Waste Reprocessing Act

Congress finds the commercialization of domestic spent nuclear fuel reprocessing to be essential to—

(1) addressing the challenges posed by spent nuclear fuel in the United States; and

(2) advancing the development of sustainable nuclear energy throughout the United States.

The Secretary of Energy shall develop, in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders, and implement policies for the Department of Energy to encourage and support the commercialization of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies in the United States.

The Secretary of Energy shall take measures to ensure the United States maintains a leading role in the international arena with respect to spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.

In carrying out subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of Energy shall establish and enhance partnerships with private industry to pursue technological advances in the United States associated with spent nuclear fuel reprocessing through the research, development, and commercialization stages.

The Secretary of Energy shall collaborate with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reconcile, to the extent appropriate, any differences in terminology, procedures, and processes related to reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and recycling spent nuclear fuel.

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Congress a report on the progress, achievements, and challenges relating to the commercialization of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies.

In this section:

The term reprocessing means, with respect to spent nuclear fuel, the processes used to separate the spent nuclear fuel into nuclear materials that may be recycled for use in new fuel and material that would be discarded as waste.

The term spent nuclear fuel has the meaning given such term in section 2(23) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(23)).