Consent-Based Siting bills (nuclear waste)
In committee Source: Original editorial Original synthesis from primary government sources — not archive content.
- Bill / vehicle
- S.101 / H.R.466 (119th Congress)
- Status
- In committee
- Date
- Introduced — in committee
- Administration
- Trump II
- Topic
- Nuclear waste siting
- Sponsors
- Various (119th Congress)
What it does
Would require the affirmative consent of state, local, and tribal governments before siting a nuclear-waste repository or storage facility — a deliberate break from the top-down approach that doomed Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Why it matters
Reflects a growing bipartisan view that the path to actually storing spent fuel runs through community consent, not federal mandate. With Yucca Mountain still unfunded and stalled, these bills represent the leading alternative philosophy. In committee.
This is a bill, not law. It may be amended significantly or fail to advance — most introduced bills never become law. Check the live status via the sources below.
Primary sources
Learn the underlying ideas
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Explore Policy & Regulation → More in Pending
Nuclear REFUEL Act of 2025 S.2082 / H.R.3978 (119th Congress) Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act (NEIDA) S.4284 (119th Congress) Build Nuclear With Local Materials Act of 2026 S.4529 + House companion (119th Congress) Strengthening American Nuclear Energy Act of 2026 S.4267 / H.R.3667 (119th Congress)