Federal grants would pay nuclear host towns $15 per kg of stored spent fuel

What does this do?

HR 7796 creates a federal grant program, administered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, that pays communities $15 per kilogram of spent nuclear fuel stored on-site after a plant closes. Communities that lost significant tax revenue from a closure can also receive phased grants starting at 80 percent of lost revenue and stepping down over eight years, capped at $10 million per year. A $500,000 prize competition would solicit ideas for reusing the land or workforce left behind, with the winning concept funded as a pilot program.

Who does it affect?

The bill targets towns and counties that are currently hosting stored spent nuclear fuel because no national storage facility exists to receive it. Communities in roughly a dozen states — including New York, Illinois, California, Michigan, and Vermont — are most directly affected.

Why does it matter?

Without a national storage site, spent fuel remains on-site in steel-and-concrete canisters indefinitely after plants close, leaving communities bearing the presence of nuclear waste with reduced tax bases. The bill also revives a first-time homebuyer tax credit, restricted to buyers purchasing in these specific communities, which may affect residential population trends in affected areas.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Up to $110M/year, 2026–2031
• Up to $120M/year, 2032–2036
• Prize competition capped at $500,000