Stranded Nuclear Waste Accountability Act of 2016

To direct the Secretary of Energy to carry out a program to provide payments to communities in which a nuclear power plant that has ceased generating electricity and that stores spent nuclear fuel onsite is located, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stranded Nuclear Waste Accountability Act of 2016 2. Program for payments to communities that are impacted by interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (a) Program The Secretary of Energy shall establish and carry out a program to make payments to units of general local government within the jurisdictional boundaries of which an eligible civilian nuclear power plant is located. (b) Payments (1) Amount Except as provided in paragraph (3), a payment made to a unit of general local government under the program established under subsection (a) shall be equal to $15 per kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored at the eligible civilian nuclear power plant that is located within the jurisdictional boundaries of such unit of general local government. (2) Number and frequency For each eligible civilian nuclear power plant, the Secretary may only make one payment to one unit of general local government per fiscal year under the program established under subsection (a). (3) Pro rata reduction For any fiscal year, the Secretary shall, on a pro rata basis, reduce the amount paid to a unit of general local government under the program established under subsection (a) as necessary to ensure, to the extent possible, that a payment is made to a unit of general local government with respect to each eligible civilian nuclear power plant for that fiscal year. (4) Annual application In order to be eligible to receive a payment under the program established under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, a unit of general local government shall submit an application to the Secretary. (c) Definitions In this Act: (1) Civilian nuclear power reactor The term civilian nuclear power reactor 42 U.S.C. 10101(6) (2) Eligible civilian nuclear power plant The term eligible civilian nuclear power plant (A) each civilian nuclear power reactor located at such site has ceased generating electricity prior to the date of enactment of this Act; and (B) spent nuclear fuel is being stored. (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Spent nuclear fuel The term spent nuclear fuel 42 U.S.C. 10101(23) (5) Unit of general local government The term unit of general local government 42 U.S.C. 10101(28) (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for the program established under subsection (a) for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023.

Summary: Stranded Nuclear Waste Accountability Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a program to provide compensation to communities in which a nuclear waste storage facility is located. DOE must provide payments equal to $15 per kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored at the nuclear waste facility. Each local government within the jurisdictional boundaries of a nuclear waste facility must submit an annual application to DOE for compensation. DOE may make only one payment per fiscal year to eligible local governments.