The STAR Foundation is committed to ensuring the passage of the Nuclear
Security Act (S.1746) introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and
co-sponsored by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Jim Jeffords (I-VT)
and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT). The House has a similar companion bill
(HR 3382) introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), and co-sponsored by
Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Shelley
Berkley (D-NV). Go to the e-mail activism section of this site to
send a letter of support for this legislation. The bill:
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Requires the federalization of nuclear power plant security forces;
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Requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to revise the design basis threat to nuclear reactors to include threats equivalent to the events of September 11, 2025 or the use of explosive devices or other modern weaponry. NRC will require the development of a security plan to include a physical security plan to prevent disruption of operations or radiological releases, including the protection of spent fuel pools, placement of spent fuel in dry cask storage, and background security checks;
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Requires bi-annual force-on-force exercises to assure that the plant can protect itself from an assault or infiltration from 20 mock terrorists with advanced knowledge of special weapons, a nuclear engineer, and the skills to disrupt normal activity;
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Requires distribution of potassium iodide stockpiles in a 50-mile radius of a nuclear power plant, with plans for distribution in the event of an accident;
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Requires emergency planning exercises within a 50-mile zone around a nuclear power plant once every three years, and public reporting on the results of this planning exercise;
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Funds the security forces and security plan through a surcharge on nuclear power generation of up to one mil per kilowatt/hour to be deposited in an interest-bearing federal fund (approximately $800 million/year), plus federal appropriations; and
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Authorizes the deployment of the National Guard, the Coast Guard and the restriction of air space around reactors in the event of war or national emergency, to be funded through federal appropriations.
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