I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7817 
To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report on facili-
tating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactors through 
expanded use of categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and 
generic environmental impact statements, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2020 
Mr. DUNCAN (for himself and Mr. FLORES) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a 
report on facilitating efficient, timely environmental re-
views of nuclear reactors through expanded use of cat-
egorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and ge-
neric environmental impact statements, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Modernize Nuclear Re-
actor Environmental Reviews Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:40 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7817.IH
H7817
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
tion permits, early site permits, or combined li-
cense applications for nuclear reactors; 
(C) the potential to use other Federal or 
State environmental permitting, or permitting 
from units of local government, in lieu of some 
portion of the environmental impact statement, 
or environmental assessment, for an action re-
lating to a nuclear reactor; 
(D) opportunities to coordinate the devel-
opment of environmental assessments or envi-
ronmental impact statements with other Fed-
eral agencies for greater efficiency; and 
(E) new categorical exclusions that could 
be applied to actions relating to advanced nu-
clear reactors (as defined in section 3 of the 
Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization 
Act (42 U.S.C. 2215 note)); and 
(2) include a schedule for promulgating the rule 
required under subsection (c). 
(c) RULEMAKING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regu-
latory Commission shall promulgate a final rule— 
(A) establishing an optional generic envi-
ronmental impact statement for actions relating 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:40 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7817.IH
H7817
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
to nuclear reactors that may be used in the 
process for issuing a construction permit, early 
site permit, or combined license; and 
(B) amending section 51.20 of title 10, 
Code of Federal Regulations, to eliminate the 
list in such section of types of actions that re-
quire an environmental impact statement or a 
supplement to an environmental impact state-
ment to allow for the use of environmental as-
sessments and categorical exclusions for such 
actions, as appropriate. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, in promulgating the final rule under 
paragraph (1), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
shall take into account the considerations described 
in subsection (b)(1). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:40 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7817.IH
H7817
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS