I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4676 
To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to direct 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to further utilize a risk-informed 
and performance-based approach to licensing, to amend the hearing re-
quirements for certain licenses under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2023 
Mr. DONALDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization 
Act to direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fur-
ther utilize a risk-informed and performance-based ap-
proach to licensing, to amend the hearing requirements 
for certain licenses under the Atomic Energy Act of 
1954, 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 ‘‘Nuclear Red Tape Re-
duction Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY-INCLUSIVE REGULATORY FRAME-
WORK FOR NUCLEAR LICENSING. 
Section 3(14) of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and 
Modernization Act (42 U.S.C. 2215 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘where appropriate’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘to the maximum extent practicable’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘(consistent with the document 
issued by the Commission on June 22, 1998, and ti-
tled ‘White Paper on Risk-Informed, Performance- 
Based Regulation’ (SECY–98–144))’’ after ‘‘risk-in-
formed and performance-based techniques’’. 
SEC. 3. HEARINGS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW UNDER THE 
ATOMIC ENERGY ACT OF 1954. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 189a.(1)(A) of the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2239(a)(1)(A)) is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(A)(i) In any proceeding under this Act, 
for the granting, suspending, revoking, or 
amending of any license or construction permit, 
or application to transfer control, and in any 
proceeding for the issuance or modification of 
rules and regulations dealing with the activities 
of licenses, and in any proceeding for the pay-
ment of compensation, an award or royalties 
under sections 153, 157, 186 c., or 188, the 
Commission shall, subject to clause (ii), grant a 
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hearing upon the request of any person whose 
interest may be affected by the proceeding, and 
shall admit any such person as a party to such 
proceeding. 
‘‘(ii) The Commission may only hold a 
hearing under this subparagraph for an applica-
tion for a license under section 103 for a con-
struction permit if the Commission receives a 
request for a hearing under clause (i) by a per-
son described in such clause by not later than 
30 days after notice and publication of the ap-
plication for the license in the Federal Register. 
‘‘(iii) The Commission shall hold a hearing 
after 30 days notice and publication once in the 
Federal Register, on each application under sec-
tion 104 b. for a construction permit for a facil-
ity, and on any application under section 104 c. 
for a construction permit for a testing facility. 
‘‘(iv) In cases where such a construction 
permit has been issued following the holding of 
such a hearing, the Commission may, in the ab-
sence of a request therefor by any person whose 
interest may be affected, issue an operating li-
cense or an amendment to a construction per-
mit or an amendment to an operating license 
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without a hearing, but upon 30 days notice and 
publication once in the Federal Register of its 
intent to do so. 
‘‘(v) The Commission may dispense with 
such 30 days notice and publication with re-
spect to any application for an amendment to 
a construction permit or an amendment to an 
operating license upon a determination by the 
Commission that the amendment involves no 
significant hazards consideration.’’. 
(b) COMBINED LICENSES.—Section 189a.(1)(B)(i) of 
the 
Atomic 
Energy 
Act 
of 
1954 
(42 
U.S.C. 
2239(a)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘within 60 
days’’ and inserting ‘‘within 45 days’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON TERMS OF RENEWED NUCLEAR REGU-
LATORY COMMISSION LICENCES. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works of the Senate a report that de-
scribes— 
(1) the authority of the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission to determine the terms of renewed li-
censes under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 
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U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), including how the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission determines the maximum 
term for such renewed licenses and in which cir-
cumstances the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may 
issue a renewed licence for a term in excess of 20 
years; and 
(2) the meaning of ‘‘adequacy of licensee pro-
grams’’ as used on page 64964 of the final rule ti-
tled ‘‘Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal’’ and 
published December 13, 1991 (56 Fed. Reg. 64943). 
Æ 
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