The Nuclear Regulatory Commission would get a sizable budget boost in fiscal 2019, almost entirely from funding for its review of the license application for the Yucca Mountain radioactive waste repository in Nevada, under the House Appropriations energy and water bill to be marked up today.
The nuclear industry regulator asked for $958.1 million for salaries and expenses in the budget year beginning Oct. 1, and House appropriators are recommending $953.1, according to the legislation report released Tuesday. The bill would provide the full $12.6 million requested for the NRC Inspector General’s Office, bringing the agency total to $965.7 million.
The NRC received $921.9 million in the current fiscal 2018 under the omnibus budget signed into law in March.
Congress this year zeroed out all funding at the NRC and Department of Energy to license the underground repository at Yucca Mountain for permanent disposal of spent reactor fuel and high-level radioactive waste. But the House bill fully supports the regulator’s $47.7 million request for fiscal 2019, with the money taken from the Nuclear Waste Fund.
Within other accounts, the bill would meet the agency’s request for $110.6 million for nuclear materials and waste safety operations and $25.4 million for decommissioning and low-level waste work. Both would be down by over $2 million from enacted levels for fiscal 2018.
Of the total NRC funding, $774 million would be drawn from licensing fees, inspection services, and other collections.
Meanwhile, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board would be funded at $3.6 million for the year. That is equal to its budget request and the amount appropriated for fiscal 2018. The 11-member board of scientists and engineers provides expert review of Department of Energy nuclear waste management operations.
The House Appropriations Committee meets at 10 a.m. in Room 2118 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The markup will also be webcast.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has scheduled the markup for its version of the energy and water bill for next week.
