Sponsors (2)
The bill could expand domestic recycling of spent nuclear fuel to produce medical isotopes and support reactor fuels—improving health supply chains and energy security and reducing some local storage burdens—while raising proliferation, environmental justice, and public cost risks that require stronger safeguards and oversight.
Hospitals and patients: increased domestic supply of medical and industrial isotopes recovered from spent nuclear fuel, improving availability for diagnostics, treatments, and commercial uses and reducing reliance on foreign sources.
State governments, small businesses, and the domestic nuclear industry: improved availability of advanced reactor fuels and support for domestic reactor fuel cycles, enhancing energy security and supporting related economic activity and jobs.
Local governments and residents near temporary storage: potential reduction in on-site spent fuel at temporary storage sites if recycling is implemented, lowering long-term local storage burdens on affected communities.
State and local governments and public safety officials: recycling can increase proliferation risks by separating fissile materials, creating greater security, monitoring, and enforcement needs to prevent diversion or misuse.
Taxpayers and state governments: developing recycling facilities and associated infrastructure could require substantial public investment, subsidies, or ongoing taxpayer-supported costs.
Local communities and tribal residents near proposed sites: siting and operating recycling facilities may create environmental and health risks, with potential disproportionate impacts on nearby or vulnerable communities if not properly managed.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs DOE to complete a 90‑day study comparing nuclear fuel recycling approaches to the once‑through cycle and assessing technical, economic, regulatory, siting, social, and proliferation issues.
Introduced October 16, 2025 by Rafael Edward Cruz · Last progress October 16, 2025
Requires the Department of Energy to produce a focused study, due within 90 days of enactment, on the practicability, benefits, costs, and risks (including proliferation risks) of recycling spent nuclear fuel at dedicated recycling facilities. The study must compare recycling approaches to the current once‑through fuel cycle, evaluate using recycled material in commercial light‑water and advanced reactors and for non‑reactor uses (medical isotopes, space power, battery feedstocks, etc.), and assess technical, economic, regulatory, siting, and social implications including potential co‑location with reactors, storage sites, and fuel fabrication facilities.