Financial assistance for communities with stranded nuclear waste

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Affected community The term affected community means a unit of local government, including a county, city, town, village, school district, or special district, that contains stranded nuclear waste within the boundaries of the unit of local government, as determined by the Secretary. (2) Eligible civilian nuclear power plant The term eligible civilian nuclear power plant means a nuclear power plant that— (A) has been decommissioned; or (B) is in the process of being decommissioned. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy. (4) Stranded nuclear waste The term stranded nuclear waste means nuclear waste or spent nuclear fuel stored in dry casks or spent fuel pools at a decommissioned or decommissioning nuclear facility. (b) Establishment Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and carry out a noncompetitive grant program to provide financial assistance to units of local government within the jurisdictional boundary of which an eligible civilian nuclear power plant is located to offset the economic and social impacts of stranded nuclear waste in affected communities. (c) Eligibility A unit of local government that is an affected community shall be eligible to receive a grant under this section for a fiscal year. (d) Awards (1) Amount The amount of a grant awarded under subsection (b) shall be equal to $15 for each kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored at the eligible civilian nuclear power plant in the affected community. (2) Number and frequency With respect to each eligible civilian nuclear power plant, the Secretary may only award 1 grant under subsection (b) to each eligible unit of local government for each fiscal year. (e) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2035. (2) No offset None of the funds made available under this subsection may be used to offset the funding for any other Federal program.