I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1559 
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 
MARCH 3, 2021 
Mr. DUNCAN 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’’. 
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SEC. 2. FACILITATION OF EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL RE-
VIEWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission shall submit to the Committee on Environ-
ment 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 Nuclear Regulatory Commis-
sion to facilitate efficient, timely environmental reviews of 
nuclear reactors, including through expanded use of cat-
egorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and ge-
neric environmental impact statements. 
(b) REPORT.—In completing the report under sub-
section (a), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall— 
(1) consider— 
(A) the use of categorical exclusions and 
supporting analyses, environmental assessments 
and supporting analyses, and generic environ-
mental impact statements and supporting anal-
yses, by other Federal agencies and the applica-
bility of such categorical exclusions, environ-
mental assessments, generic environmental im-
pact statements, and supporting analyses, for 
actions relating to nuclear reactors; 
(B) existing categorical exclusions and sup-
porting analyses, environmental assessments 
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units of local government to facilitate timely 
and efficient reviews and authorization deci-
sions relating to nuclear reactors by such agen-
cies and units, as applicable; 
(G) opportunities to improve the analyses 
of alternatives to proposed actions that are re-
quired in environmental impact statements; 
(H) new categorical exclusions that could 
be applied to actions relating to nuclear reac-
tors; and 
(I) potential revisions to part 51 of title 
10, Code of Federal Regulations, to— 
(i) facilitate efficient environmental 
reviews of actions relating to nuclear reac-
tors; 
(ii) assist decision-making about rel-
evant environmental issues; 
(iii) maintain openness with the pub-
lic; 
(iv) meet obligations under the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969; 
and 
(v) reduce burdens on licensees, appli-
cants, and the Nuclear Regulatory Com-
mission; and 
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(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 that may be used 
in the licensing process for nuclear reactors, in-
cluding the process for issuing a construction 
permit, early site permit, operating license, or 
combined license; and 
(B) amending section 51.20 of title 10, 
Code of Federal Regulations, to eliminate or 
modify the list in such section of types of ac-
tions that require an environmental impact 
statement or a supplement to an environmental 
impact statement to allow for the use of envi-
ronmental assessments and categorical exclu-
sions for such actions, as appropriate. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, in promulgating the final rule under 
paragraph (1), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
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shall take into account the considerations described 
in subsection (b)(1). 
Æ 
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