HB 16

This bill establishes a regulatory framework for the temporary storage of used nuclear fuel in Wyoming, creating new requirements for facilities that wish to store spent nuclear fuel from U.S. nuclear reactors. The legislation requires any entity seeking to build such a storage facility to obtain approval from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, in addition to federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing, and mandates that facilities must use dry cask storage technology and provide substantial assurances that the storage is temporary rather than permanent. The bill specifically defines two types of facilities—consolidated interim storage facilities and independent used fuel storage installations—and requires applicants to demonstrate the technical feasibility, environmental impact, and temporary nature of their proposed facilities, including plans for eventual transfer of the fuel to permanent repositories or reprocessing facilities.