The House Appropriations Committee on Monday released an omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal 2017 that suggests congressional support for former President Barack Obama’s proposed alternative method of plutonium disposition, raising questions about the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility under construction in South Carolina.
The omnibus bill provides $12.9 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration, an increase of $142 million from the fiscal 2016 level and $63 million more than former President Barack Obama’s budget request for the current budget year.
Of this, $1.9 billion would go toward the defense nuclear nonproliferation account, a $38 million decrease from fiscal 2016. This account includes $335 million for construction and project support for the embattled MOX plant at the Savannah River Site – $5 million less than the House and Senate’s requested authorization.
Meanwhile, the bill grants the NNSA up to $15 million to plan and carry out conceptual design activities for the proposed alternative to MOX, plutonium dilution and disposal in an underground repository.
While the Trump administration’s approach to MOX is not yet clear, Congress’ approval of funding for the alternative approach indicates the struggle over the future of the project will continue throughout this budget year.
The Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility is being built to meet the U.S. obligation under a deal with Russia in which each nation must eliminate 34 metric tons of nuclear weapon-usable plutonium.
The omnibus bill also provides $9.3 billion for the NNSA’s weapons activities line item, a $471 million increase from the current level. Of that, $324 million would go toward maintenance and repair of facilities, and $743.1 million for recapitalization projects to address the agency’s high-risk excess facilities and its $3.7 billion and growing backlog of deferred maintenance.
The federal government is operating under a stopgap spending bill until this Friday, which means Congress will need to soon pass the omnibus to prevent a government shutdown.
