[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8611 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8611
To require the President develop a national strategy for utilizing
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 29, 2022
Mr. Donalds (for himself, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, and Mr.
Fleischmann) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the President develop a national strategy for utilizing
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Strategy to Utilize
Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) natural disasters often cause loss of life, human
suffering, loss of income, and property loss and damage;
(2) natural disasters often disrupt the normal functioning
of governments and communities and adversely affect individuals
and families with great severity; and
(3) special measures, designed to assist with and
supplement natural disaster response efforts, such as replacing
the wide utilization of diesel generators with microreactors
when responding to the impacts of a natural disaster, are
necessary and worthwhile for the wellbeing of the United
States.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Congress
should support the utilization of nuclear energy, with a priority for
nuclear energy generated by microreactors, during natural disaster
response efforts because of the following considerations:
(1) Nuclear energy generated by a microreactor provides a
safe form of consistent and reliable electricity that is
generally sought when responding to the impacts of natural
disasters.
(2) Nuclear energy that is generated by microreactors--
(A) is the cleanest, rapidly deployable source of
energy available that can provide uninterrupted power
to assist with natural disaster response efforts; and
(B) can be used to augment diesel-generated power
during national disaster response efforts.
(3) The generation of electricity from microreactors emits
fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the generation of
electricity from other sources of electricity.
(4) Microreactors can be easily transported and carried by
aircraft, semi-trucks, or shipping vessels to timely provide
electricity upon demand to an area that is impacted by a
natural disaster.
(5) Microreactors can be operated autonomously, which
avoids the need for on-site operators in an area that is
impacted by a natural disaster.
(6) Microreactors can be operated for several years without
being refueled, which avoids logistical challenges associated
with refueling other power sources, including diesel
generators, in an area that is impacted by a natural disaster.
(7) With approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
microreactors can be--
(A) mass produced in factories around the United
States; and
(B) mass deployed to assist with natural disaster
response efforts.
(8) Nuclear energy generated by a microreactor can be used
to help restore electrical grids by providing temporary power
and spot generation for critical electricity generating
facilities while grid repairs take place.
(9) Microreactors can--
(A) power lifesaving and life-sustaining
facilities, such as hospitals;
(B) power mass transit systems and water quality
treatment plants;
(C) power large pumps that are often used to remove
water from an impacted area; and
(D) support the operation of local, State, and
Federal facilities in the event that a natural disaster
severely impacts such facilities and results in the
loss of electricity for such facilities.
(10) After providing electricity to an area that is
impacted by a natural disaster, microreactors can be easily
transported out of the area to other locations where they are
needed or to standby storage locations until deployment to
assist with future natural disaster response efforts.
SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--The President shall, in consultation with the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secretary
of Energy, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the Assistant
Secretary of the Office of Nuclear Energy of the Department of Energy,
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the
Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Reactor Fleet and Advanced Reactor
Deployment of the Department of Energy, develop a national strategy to
utilize microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts.
(b) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the President
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
comprehensive national strategy developed under subsection (a).
(c) Contents of National Strategy.--A national strategy developed
under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) Evaluation of existing diesel deployment efforts.--An
assessment of the effectiveness of utilizing diesel generators
to assist with natural disaster response efforts, which such
assessment shall include--
(A) information on the current use of diesel
generators to assist with natural disaster response
efforts, including--
(i) the prevalence of deploying diesel
generators around the United States as the sole
power source to assist with natural disaster
response efforts;
(ii) the average number of diesel
generators deployed in natural disaster
response efforts based on the type of natural
disaster, the severity of the natural disaster,
and the location of the natural disaster;
(iii) where Federal, State, and local
governments store diesel generators;
(iv) how diesel generators are transported
to areas affected by a natural disaster;
(v) any logistical concerns with refueling
diesel generators over an extended period of
time;
(vi) the potential to utilize accessory
equipment that is traditionally connected to
diesel generators to help provide electricity
to the area in need; and
(vii) any other information that is
necessary to understand the role of diesel
generators used to assist with natural disaster
response efforts;
(B) how the effect on the environment of utilizing
diesel generators to assist with natural disaster
response efforts compares to the estimated effect on
the environment of utilizing microreactors to assist
with the same natural disaster response efforts; and
(C) the concerns to public safety when deploying
diesel generators in natural disaster response efforts.
(2) Goals, objectives, and priorities.--A comprehensive,
research-based, and long-term discussion of goals, objectives,
and priorities for utilizing microreactors instead of diesel
generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts.
(3) Department of defense analysis.--An analysis of--
(A) how the efforts of the Department of Defense to
develop microreactor technology for operational uses
could be used to inform the development of
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response
efforts, including any recommendations and additional
direction that may be necessary for such expedited
deployment;
(B) how the Department of Defense can most
effectively translate and implement the lessons learned
from its operations in the field to assist with natural
disaster response efforts, including how operations in
the field related to microreactors can be used to
answer broad questions for the nuclear industry and for
future issues relating to fuel reliability, energy
supply chain issues, reducing diesel convoy
causalities, and supporting other global humanitarian
needs; and
(C) whether a demonstration program for
microreactors is needed prior to deploying
microreactors for natural disaster response efforts,
based on the analysis provided by subparagraphs (A) and
(B).
(4) Recommendations for the nuclear regulatory
commission.--Recommendations on how the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission may expedite--
(A) the approval of designs for microreactors; and
(B) issuing licenses for the utilization,
transportation, and operation of microreactors in rapid
deployment scenarios, such as natural disaster response
efforts.
(5) Utilizing feasibility studies.--An analysis of
available academic literature and studies, including site
feasibility studies, to identify high risk areas that are prone
to natural disasters that should be prioritized during
emergency planning.
(6) Strategic considerations when deploying
microreactors.--An assessment of various strategic
considerations to improve the efficiency, timeliness, and cost-
effectiveness of deploying microreactors to assist with natural
disaster response efforts, including--
(A) whether the Department of Defense, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, or any other government
entity should build, own, or operate microreactors that
are used to assist with natural disaster response
efforts, including whether it would be viable to lease
microreactors from private industry and whether it
would be viable to facilitate public-private
partnerships to find cost effective options to utilize
microreactors for natural disaster response efforts;
(B) the recommended number of individuals charged
with the usage, maintenance, and upkeep of the
microreactors, including the recommended
qualifications, training requirements, availability
requirements, and oversight responsibility of such
individuals;
(C) the number of microreactors needed, initially
and in the long-term, to effectively respond to a
natural disaster based on past natural disaster trends
and the specific geographic location of the area;
(D) where microreactors used to assist with natural
disaster response efforts would be stored, including
information on--
(i) how different microreactor storage
locations may affect swift and economically
feasible natural disaster response efforts;
(ii) the feasibility of utilizing already-
built facilities instead of constructing new
microreactor storage facilities;
(iii) the cost of constructing new
microreactor storage facilities;
(iv) how to properly store the microreactor
when not being utilized for natural disaster
response efforts; and
(v) potential storage locations, such as--
(I) the Strategic Alliance for FLEX
Emergency Response locations in
Memphis, Tennessee and Phoenix,
Arizona; and
(II) Department of Defense bases;
(E) how to maintain a microreactor and replace,
store, and dispose of fuel used by a microreactor,
including whether public-private partnerships may be
used to assist with such maintenance, replacement,
storage, and disposal;
(F) when a diesel generator will suffice in the
event of a natural disaster of limited proportions, in
comparison to utilizing microreactors to assist with
natural disaster response efforts;
(G) which States and territories and possessions of
the United States that are prone to natural disasters,
such as hurricanes, should be prioritized when
initially selecting locations to deploy microreactors
to assist with natural disaster response efforts;
(H) the methods, capabilities, and costs associated
with transporting microreactors to areas that were or
may be impacted by natural disasters;
(I) any other strategic considerations that should
be taken into account before deploying microreactors to
assist with natural disaster response efforts;
(J) how to integrate microreactors into existing
electrical grids in emergency situations, including how
grid connection points, microgrid limits, site load
limits, existing infrastructure, and the standard
process for grid interconnections may impact the
integration of microreactors into existing electrical
grid;
(K) whether microreactors will be susceptible to
cyberattacks, including whether autonomous control will
impact the microreactor's cyberattack susceptibility
and what systems or microreactor designs would be ideal
for combating such cyberattacks during a natural
disaster response effort; and
(L) how other uses of microreactors, such as
utilizing microreactors for various mining efforts,
could impact the other considerations in this
subsection.
(7) Deployment challenges and barriers.--An assessment of--
(A) the challenges and barriers to deploying
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response
efforts; and
(B) solutions to address each such challenge and
barrier.
(8) Review of and recommendations for legislation.--
(A) Review.--A review of existing law that can be
used to ease the burden of utilizing microreactors to
assist with natural disaster response efforts,
including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801 et seq.),
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.),
the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (42
U.S.C. 2215 note), and any other relevant law.
(B) Recommendations.--Recommendations for
legislation to--
(i) assist with--
(I) deploying microreactors to
assist with natural disaster response
efforts;
(II) the maintenance and upkeep of
such microreactors; and
(III) the initial and long-term
storage of such microreactors; and
(ii) pay for the activities described in
subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i).
(9) Partnerships to enhance natural disaster response
efforts.--An assessment about--
(A) the current status of any collaboration between
the National Guard, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers during natural
disaster response efforts;
(B) the specific roles of each entity specified in
subparagraph (A) (disaggregated, in the case of the
National Guard, by State and by military department)
during a natural disaster response effort, and their
respective roles when participating in natural disaster
response efforts;
(C) the current emergency responsibilities of the
Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission that relate to deploying microreactors
during natural disaster response efforts;
(D) the potential opportunity to set up an annual
listening group session or consortium to provide all
the necessary information needed to deploy
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response
efforts and to ensure a smooth transition from the use
of diesel generators to the use of microreactors to
assist with natural disaster response efforts;
(E) how the Emergency Management Assistance
Compact, consented to by Congress in the joint
resolution entitled ``Joint resolution granting the
consent of Congress to the Emergency Management
Assistance Compact'' (Public Law 104-321), can be
utilized to allow States to allocate their unused
microreactors to other States that are in need of
microreactors to assist with natural disaster response
efforts; and
(F) how to improve the collaboration between
Federal, State, and local government entities and
private entities when deploying microreactors to assist
with natural disaster response efforts.
(10) Utilizing microreactors to charge electric vehicles.--
Recommendations on how to utilize microreactors as charging
stations for electric vehicles in the event of a mass
evacuation resulting from a natural disaster, including
recommendations on--
(A) how to deploy microreactors to charge electric
vehicles before an evacuation;
(B) the primary transportation corridors that would
be used for such a mass evacuation;
(C) how many microreactors would be needed to
charge electric vehicles during such a mass evacuation,
based on the size and population of the State in which
the mass evacuation occurs;
(D) the best placement of microreactors throughout
the primary transportation corridors to ensure a smooth
electric vehicle charging process and subsequent
evacuation;
(E) any potential public-private partnerships that
would be useful in utilizing microreactors to charge
electric vehicles during a mass evacuation, including
an estimate of the costs that would be associated with
establishing these partnerships;
(F) how to--
(i) transport microreactors to mass
evacuation locations along primary
transportation corridors for purposes of
charging electric vehicles; and
(ii) pay for such transportation; and
(G) any other topic related to subparagraphs (A)
through (F).
(11) Deploying microreactors to united states territories
and possessions.--Recommendations on deploying microreactors to
territories and possessions of the United States to assist with
natural disaster response efforts.
(12) Using military equipment with nuclear capabilities.--
Recommendations on how to, in the event of a natural disaster
and when the deployment of a microreactor is not timely or
ideal for the circumstance, deploy military equipment of the
United States with nuclear capabilities, such as nuclear
aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, to provide temporary
electricity to an area severely impacted by a natural disaster.
(13) Budget priorities.--A multiyear budget plan that
identifies the necessary resources to successfully carry out
the recommendations and implement any lessons learned from the
assessments and other analysis under this subsection.
(14) Technology enhancements.--An analysis of current and
developing ways to leverage existing and innovative technology
to improve the effectiveness of efforts to deploy microreactors
to assist with natural disaster response efforts.
(15) Using innovative tools to predict natural disasters.--
A description of how to utilize innovative technology, such as
artificial intelligence and predictive meteorological tools, to
prepare for the utilization of microreactors before a natural
disaster.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Oversight
and Reform, and the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Environment and Public Works, and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
(2) Local government.--The term ``local government'' has
the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5122).
(3) Microreactor.--The term ``microreactor'' means a
nuclear reactor, including a portable nuclear reactor, that has
an electricity generating capacity of not more than 20
megawatts of thermal energy.
(4) Natural disaster.--The term ``natural disaster'' has
the meaning given the term ``Major disaster'' in section 102 of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), except that the term ``natural disaster''
does not include a wildfire.
(5) Natural disaster response effort.--The term ``natural
disaster response effort'' means a circumstance in which a
State or local government requests assistance under the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), including assistance to address the loss
of primary electrical capacity as a result of a natural
disaster.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United
States and the District of Columbia.
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