INL funding bill clears Congress
Second District Congressman Mike Simpson has successfully guided the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill through the House Thursday. By a vote of 377 to 20, H.R. 5895 provides funding for the Idaho National Laboratory, the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, and site cleanup activities.
“This bill reaffirms INL’s leadership in nuclear energy research, and also expands capabilities at the lab to bolster national security,” said Simpson. “Passing this legislation today enhances INL’s work in advanced reactor and fuel development, battery and bioenergy programs, and world-renowned efforts to protect the electric grid and other critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks.”
According to Simpson, the FY 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill sets record funding for the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy at $1.326 billion.
The bill directs funding to the following INL priorities:
The Idaho Facilities Management account, which covers infrastructure maintenance and improvement at INL, is funded at $318 million – a $24 million increase over last year. INL’s Safeguards and Security Program is funded at $146 million – an increase of $13 million over fiscal year 2018. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability program, which is managed by INL and promotes the continued safe operation of America’s existing nuclear reactors, is funded at $47 million, the same as last year. The Reactor Concepts Research, Development, and Demonstration account is funded at $324 million – an increase of $87 million above last year. Within the overall level for this account, $100 million is for Advanced Small Modular Reactor Research and Development, $65 million is to design a new “fast” test reactor at INL, $34 million is allocated to fuel qualification for an advanced gas reactor, and $20 million is provided for new program to develop very small “micro reactors” for deployment at remote locations and Department of Defense facilities. Within the Fuel Cycle Research and Development program, the Advanced Fuels program is funded at $125 million with $20 million directed toward development of new high assay low enriched fuel for advanced reactors. The bill directs $63.9 million for Used Nuclear Fuel Disposition research and development.
Other vital priorities funded within the Energy and Water division include:
Within the Office of Naval Reactors, the bill includes $85.5 million for the operation of the Advanced Test Reactor. Within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, $25 million is included for energy efficient mobility systems, $7 million is for advanced battery analytics at the Lab, $30 million is for the Lab’s bioenergy program, and $11 million is for the integrated energy systems. Provides significant investment in cybersecurity grid protection work that the Idaho National Laboratory leads. A provision to allow recharge of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer during flood releases and high flow events at the Palisades Reservoir. A provision to extend the authority for the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct feasibility studies on projects that address water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems.
Simpson said the bill also includes $420 million for the Idaho Cleanup Project and Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project.
It also provides $397 million for the Waste Isolation Pilot Project, which receives shipments of transuranic waste from the Idaho National Laboratory.
The Senate approved the bill Wednesday. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.
