I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6252 
To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report and conduct 
a rulemaking on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of 
nuclear reactor applications, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 6, 2023 
Mr. WEBER of Texas (for himself, Mr. BUCSHON, Mr. PFLUGER, and Mr. 
LATTA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a 
report and conduct a rulemaking on facilitating efficient, 
timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applica-
tions, 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’’. 
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SEC. 2. FACILITATION OF EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL RE-
VIEWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’) shall submit to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 
on the efforts of the Commission to facilitate efficient, 
timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applica-
tions, including through expanded use of categorical exclu-
sions, environmental assessments, and generic environ-
mental impact statements. 
(b) REPORT.—In completing the report under sub-
section (a), the Commission shall— 
(1) describe the actions the Commission will 
take to implement the amendments to the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.) made by section 321 of the Fiscal Responsi-
bility Act of 2023; 
(2) consider— 
(A) using through adoption, incorporation 
by reference, or other appropriate means, cat-
egorical exclusions, environmental assessments, 
and environmental impact statements prepared 
by other Federal agencies to streamline environ-
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(J) authorizing the use of an applicant’s 
environmental impact statement as the Com-
mission’s draft environmental impact statement, 
consistent with section 107(f) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4336a(f)); 
(K) opportunities to adopt online and dig-
ital technologies, including technologies that 
would allow applicants and cooperating agencies 
to upload documents and coordinate with the 
Commission to edit documents in real time, 
that would streamline communications be-
tween— 
(i) the Commission and applicants; 
and 
(ii) the Commission and other rel-
evant cooperating agencies; 
(L) in addition to implementing measures 
under subsection (c), potential revisions to part 
51 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, and 
relevant Commission guidance documents, to— 
(i) facilitate efficient environmental 
reviews of nuclear reactor applications; 
(ii) assist decision-making about rel-
evant environmental issues; 
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(iii) maintain openness with the pub-
lic; 
(iv) meet obligations under the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and 
(v) reduce burdens on licensees, appli-
cants, and the Commission; and 
(3) include a schedule for promulgating the rule 
required under subsection (c). 
(c) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 2 years after the 
submission of the report under subsection (a), the Com-
mission shall promulgate a final rule implementing, to the 
maximum extent practicable, measures considered by the 
Commission under subsection (b)(2) that are necessary to 
streamline the Commission’s review of nuclear reactor ap-
plications. 
Æ 
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