Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF
District 9 (Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Fantasia and Assemblyman Scharfenberger
SYNOPSIS
Directs BPU and DEP to inventory areas previously sited for nuclear reactor facilities and solicit proposals for development; establishes expedited permitting for nuclear reactors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning nuclear energy generation and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act:
“Board” means the Board of Public Utilities.
“Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection.
“Nuclear reactor” means an apparatus required to be licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission that is designed or used to sustain nuclear fission in a self-supporting chain reaction.
b. No later than nine months after the effective date of this act, the board and the department shall assess and inventory every location in the State that has been previously sited for the development and operation of a nuclear reactor.
c. No later than three months after completing the inventory required pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the board and department shall solicit private contracts by public advertisement and bidding to develop nuclear reactor facilities at the locations identified by the board and department pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, all State agencies and local government units shall give the highest priority to the review and approval of any permits that impact the development or operation of a nuclear reactor in the State.
2. The board and department shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (board) and the Department of Environmental Protection (department) to review and inventory all areas of the State which have been previously sited for nuclear reactor development and operation. Within three months of completing the inventory, the board and department would be required to solicit private contracts by public advertisement and bidding to develop nuclear reactors at those locations which have been previously sited for nuclear reactor development. Finally, the bill requires all State agencies and local government units to expedite any permits required to develop and operate a nuclear reactor facility.