WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, and U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-At-Large) introduced the Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2025, bicameral legislation that aims to give states a more meaningful role in the development and approval of reactor shutdown plans and post-shutdown license transfers. The legislation will also provide new support for Community Advisory Boards and economic development in host communities throughout the decommissioning process.
“Vermonters know first-hand that decommissioning a nuclear power plant has enormous economic and environmental impacts on neighboring communities. That’s why it is absolutely essential that state and local leaders have a seat at the table throughout the decommissioning process,” said Senator Welch. “This commonsense, bicameral legislation will ensure that the decommissioning process is transparent, inclusive, and collaborative.”
“For too long, working class communities across the country have been forced to deal with the safety and economic consequences of nuclear power plant while having virtually no say in the plans, which the people of Vernon understand all too well,” said Senator Sanders. “That is unacceptable. These communities deserve economic relief and a meaningful role in the decommissioning process. The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2025 would make sure communities like Vernon are actually part of the decision making and receive the federal support they need to deal with the very real impacts of these closures.”
“When a nuclear plant decommissions, the consequences are felt first and hardest by the surrounding communities, from the loss of jobs to the long-term challenge of managing stranded waste,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These communities deserve transparency, accountability, and a meaningful seat at the table. I am proud to join my colleagues on this legislation to ensure local and state voices are better heard and communities have the support they need to build a strong economic future.”
“As the Trump administration wages attacks on the NRC’s independence, we must defend open, transparent, and safety-first regulation and decision-making. We must also ensure that communities are kept safe and not stuck with major costs when nuclear plants shut down. The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act would provide the NRC, states, and communities the ability to weigh in on decommissioning activities that directly affect public health and safety, while also providing for economic development and revitalization that will make communities resilient and successful in the long term,” said Senator Markey.
“Decommissioning a nuclear plant creates significant economic challenges for residents, communities, and for local and state governments. Vermonters experienced these challenges when Vermont Yankee was shut down in 2014,” said Rep. Balint. “It’s crucial for stakeholders to have a voice during the decommissioning process and are provided economic support for their recovery. This legislation ensures that decommissioning plans are made with local communities, not without them.”
The process of hosting and decommissioning a nuclear plant carries significant consequences for both the operator of the plant and the surrounding community. For example, the closure and subsequent transfer of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon during the late 2010s created far-reaching environmental and economic impacts on the state and surrounding communities, including revenue and job loss. The closure also decreased traffic to local businesses, as nuclear workers left Vernon in search of new employment. However, under current regulations, states and host communities are not guaranteed a say in the development and implementation of shutdown plans for nuclear plants. As a result, shutdown plans may not accurately capture all potential environmental and community impacts.
The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act would give affected communities an opportunity to weigh in on shutdown plans if there is a license transfer or other significant change to the decommissioning plan. The legislation would also require licensees to consult with the host state as well as state governments within 50 miles of the plant when drafting a proposed decommissioning plan, as well as require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to solicit public input on the proposed decommissioning plan. The NRC would have to evaluate and formally adopt or reject the input of the affected states.
The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act would also create several new grant programs to foster communication and information exchange between licensees and communities impacted by plant decommissioning and stranded nuclear waste, and to provide economic assistance to impacted communities. If a host state supports the proposed plan or license transfer, the licensee can secure expedited NRC approval. Otherwise, the NRC must consider amending the proposed plan based on the host state’s recommendations.
The legislation is endorsed by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation.
“Communities that host nuclear plants feel the effects of a shutdown immediately. Jobs disappear, local tax revenues drop and long-term plans for housing, infrastructure and business development can get thrown off course. In Vermont, the loss of steady information, limited local capacity and the lack of predictable planning dollars made it much harder for the region to adapt. A community can only react for so long before momentum slips away,” said Adam Grinold, Executive Director, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. “This legislation gives host communities what they have historically lacked. With these new tools in place, host communities can prepare for what’s coming, manage the transition with more confidence and build a post-closure economy that reflects their own goals instead of reacting to circumstances they can’t control. This bill gives them the structure and resources to do exactly that.”
Senator Welch previously led the introduction of the bill as a member of the House, and Senator Sanders led the Senate version.
Learn more about the Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act and read a section-by-section summary of the bill.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
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