Transcript Highlights:

• The NRC hasn't done that for decades.
• <00:27:07.600> Uh NRC hasn't done that for decades. Uh NRC hasn't done that for decades.
• a difficult time getting through the NRC a difficult time getting through the NRC licensing<00:27
• but I I I I'm making a bet that the NRC but I I I I'm making a bet that the NRC is<00:27:58.960>
• And so that's from the NRC.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, if the district had these contracts in place with FDACS or NRCS, they did have quite a bit
• they did have quite a bit of funding it to be able to NRCS they did have quite a bit of funding it to
• The third area that we saw was whether or not they had one active contract with either FDACS or NRCS.
• the community, know their producers, and have that trust, and can direct them with FDACS, with the NRCS
• We do have a contract with NRCS.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture heard an update on the Florida citrus industry from Matt Joyner of Florida Citrus Mutual and Shannon Shepp of the Department of Citrus. Both described the industry’s steep decline over the past two decades due to citrus greening (HLB), hurricanes, freezes, and aging groves, but emphasized ongoing recovery efforts through research, replanting, and new therapies. They highlighted promising tools such as plant growth regulators, protective screens and covers, direct oxytetracycline application, CRISPR-based breeding, and the CRAFT program, which has expanded to more than 10,000 acres of solid-set plantings and over 20,000 acres including resets. Members discussed disaster relief, property tax pressures, grower participation, and the need for assessment relief and other state support. No votes were taken on the citrus presentation. Shepp also outlined the Department of Citrus’s marketing and research role, noting strong consumer demand for Florida orange juice, global advertising efforts, and clinical research tied to health messaging. She said the industry remains a major economic contributor, with thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact, and that the department is working to maintain demand while growers replant and reset groves. Senators asked about the CRAFT program, new grower participation, and how advertising and state policy could help sustain the industry. The committee then received a performance review of the Opa-locka Soil and Water Conservation Districts from David Jahossky of Malden and Jenkins. The review found wide variation among the 49 districts studied, with many lacking recurring revenue, staffing, proper meeting notices, records retention, formal performance goals, and timely financial reports. The report identified nearly 400 recommendations and noted that some districts had already dissolved or were considering dissolution. Senators questioned whether the districts were duplicative of other agencies and whether they still served a useful purpose; the presenter said there was overlap and collaboration but no duplication. A public commenter from Jefferson County argued that local boards still provide trusted, community-based support for producers and help connect them to cost-share and best management practice programs. The chair indicated the review would inform possible legislation to improve or restructure the districts, and the committee adjourned without taking a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, NRCS, or the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a small agency within the U.S.
• While NRCS is, While NRCS staffing has returned to base levels prior to the federal shutdown, the firing
• While NRCS is, which is imperative for water management and drought decisions.
• It's been NRCS, though, that we've relied on for our snow tell readings.
• It's been NRCS, though, that we've relied on for our snow tell readings.

Summary: The committee heard first from Deputy State Climatologist Karen Bumbacco, who reviewed the weather and snowpack conditions that contributed to Washington’s 2025 drought. She said the state had a very warm and dry water year, with April through September ranking among the warmest and driest periods on record, and that three straight years of below-normal snowpack and precipitation had compounded drought impacts, especially in the Yakima Basin. She also explained that a weak La Niña could bring a wetter-than-normal winter, though temperature forecasts were less certain, and noted that long-term climate projections point to continued snowpack decline and earlier runoff timing. Department of Ecology staff Rea Burns and Caroline Melor then described the state’s drought declaration process and response. They said Washington’s statutory drought threshold is less than 75% of normal water supply plus a hardship finding, and that Ecology extended the Yakima drought declaration in April and expanded it statewide in June. They discussed reliance on federal monitoring data and staffing at NRCS, USGS, Reclamation, and NOAA, and said federal staffing and funding instability has created concerns for snowpack and water data. They also reviewed drought response funding, noting that grants have supported projects in the Yakima and Dungeness basins and that the drought emergency account still has a balance available for current needs. Burns gave a detailed update on the Yakima Basin, saying it experienced unprecedented conditions this year, including nearly empty reservoirs, curtailment orders sent to about 1,500 water users, and the first time even the most senior 1855 surface water rights were turned off. She said widespread compliance occurred, though the process exposed areas for improvement, especially coordination with federal partners. Committee members asked about the long-term basis for climate projections, the 75% drought threshold, federal impacts, drought insurance, reservoir storage, and whether the state should consider more drought funding or new storage projects. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the NRC could have never done that. And so that's why everybody's here today.
• We got 12 detailees from NRC to help us. Commission. We got 12 detailees from NRC to help us.
• NRC regulations.
• The NRC, if they sent it had a question, they would send over requests for additional information to
• And the good news is this is the first advanced reactor to be licensed by the NRC recently.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, because NRCS kind of unlawfully relaxed its certification requirements.
• NRCS wetland certification. NRCS wetland certification.
• <00:38:19.520> determinations thousands of these NRCS determinations thousands of these NRCS
• Um because<00:38:25.000> NRCS<00:38:25.680> kind<00:38:25.840> of<00:38:25.920><
• c> unlawfully<00:38:26.680> relaxed because NRCS kind of unlawfully relaxed because NRCS kind

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Bills: HB17, HB16, SB 10, HB27, HB23, SB 15, SB 18, HB 17, HB 16, SB 10, HB 27, HB 23, SB 15, SB 18

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support

Bills: HB17, HB16, SB 10, HB27, HB23, SB 15, SB 18, HB 17, HB 16, SB 10, HB 27, HB 23, SB 15, SB 18

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support

Bills: HB231, HB231, HB475, HB488, HB632, HB821, HB1786, HB1955, HB2036, HB2060, HB2659, HB2677

Keywords: HB 231, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, permit exemption, dam, reservoir, erosion control, flood control, floodwater control, sediment control, watershed protection, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, local sponsor, water appropriation, small dam, water diversion, maintenance, rehabilitation

Bills: HB231, HB475, HB488, HB632, HB821, HB1786, HB1955, HB2036, HB2060, HB2659, HB2677, HB231

Keywords: food access, food deserts, communities of color, health disparities, socioeconomic impact, nutritious food, health effects, socioeconomic disparities, legislative recommendations, nutrition, access to food, Medicaid, multisystemic therapy, healthcare, reimbursement, mental health services, education, funding, local control, school system

Transcript Highlights:

• And the NRC could have never done that. And so that's why everybody's here today.
• We got 12 detailees from NRC to help us... Commission. We got 12 detailees from NRC to help us.
• NRC regulations.
• And the good news is this is the first advanced reactor to be licensed by the NRC recently.
• It's not an NRC authorization project, and it's a sodium-cooled microreactor used to provide about 85

Summary: The meeting was an extended briefing from Idaho National Laboratory officials on the lab’s mission, its role in nuclear energy research, and the federal push to accelerate advanced reactor deployment. Speakers described INL’s size and capabilities, including test reactors, fuel and materials facilities, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure work, and partnerships with DOE, the NRC, the Department of Defense, and private companies. They emphasized that the lab is supporting both commercial nuclear development and national security work, while also training a large intern workforce. A major theme was the current federal effort to streamline nuclear regulation and speed up licensing and demonstration. The speakers said recent executive orders and DOE/NRC coordination are reducing redundant requirements, shortening environmental review timelines, and aiming for three new nuclear systems to reach criticality by July 4, 2026. They argued that regulatory uncertainty has been a major driver of nuclear cost and that the administration’s actions, along with DOE’s pilot and demonstration programs, are intended to rebuild the domestic supply chain and industrial base. The discussion also focused on advanced reactor types, including small modular reactors, microreactors, molten salt concepts, and liquid-metal designs. Officials said these technologies are being developed for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, hydrogen production, and other nontraditional uses. They highlighted several projects and companies, including Oklo, Aalo, Radiant, X-energy, TerraPower, Kairos, and DOE’s MARVEL and Project Pele efforts, and said some reactors are expected to reach criticality or operation in the next few years. Questions from attendees covered safety, public health impacts, materials and heat management, waste or used fuel handling, costs, and whether nuclear could remain competitive against other energy sources; the speakers responded that advanced reactors are designed with passive safety features, that used fuel should be viewed as a resource, and that cost remains highly design- and supply-chain-dependent.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that we're making progress with EPA and NRC and doing a lot of things that will help the
• And I think that we're making progress with EPA and NRC and doing a lot of things that will help the
• actually receiving a license from the NRC.
• Those were preliminary to actually receiving a license from the NRC.
• Those nuclear power plant operators have to have specific training from the NRC.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• do, what does NRCS not do.
• NRCS, at the bottom of the page, has spent $50 million.
• You'll see on the bottom of the NRCS page that NRCS told us we've got $12 million.
• NRCS said, "You got the $4 million; we got the $4 million," but the funding's frozen.
• And we've got all kinds of studies that have been done, NRCS and different governmental agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• NRCS, USDA NRCS, who normally had worked with them in the past, did not have anybody trained nowadays
• So, I was in a meeting yesterday with USDA NRCS.
• It goes to Department of Ag and USDA NRCS matches it to $600,000.
• We hire local and put these people in the NRCS offices.
• Last year NRCS added another 1.2 million to this existing contract.

Transcript Highlights:

• In New Mexico, we've seen a 33% reduction in NRCS staff.
• Well, a lot of the folks that work for the association are retiring from NRCS. And so.
• To get this program, you have to know all of the NRCS rules.
• In other words, the money didn't go just to NRCS; it goes to them, but then we did all the work, all
• We've bumped that up to 30 because of their needs, and we're still hiring more for NRCS to help fill

Transcript Highlights:

• we've laid out here is permitting in two phases, early site permitting, where, you know, under the NRC
• , using a plant parameter envelope, a proponent Where, you know, under the NRC, using a plant parameter
• But we are seeing that pressure on the NRC showing up in other applications, like Part 40 and Part 70
• And I think folks have come to the realization now, with how things are changing at the NRC, this is
• The NRC continues as a regulator.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, it's NRCS is a big one and, of course, USGS and the Forest Service.
• Um, you know, it's NRCS is TVA and FEMA.
• Um, you know, it's NRCS is a<00:03:50.560> big<00:03:50.720> one<00:03:50.879> and
• We then went to NRCS and USGS and said, hey, we got $1.5 million.
• and USGS and said hey we got 1.5 NRCS and USGS and said hey we got 1.5 million. million. million.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Commonwealth Office of Technology 00:01:10, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved minutes from prior meetings after a motion and second, then heard a presentation from Kent Annis and Boyd Sheerer of the Kentucky Division of Geographic Information on the state’s “KY from Above” aerial imagery and elevation program. The presenters described the program’s goals of creating openly accessible statewide imagery and elevation basemaps, reducing duplicative local and state spending, and supporting uses such as transportation, emergency response, utilities, broadband planning, property taxation, economic development, and education. They said the data is owned by the Commonwealth, distributed in the public domain, and has strong return on investment, with statewide ortho imagery coverage completed in 2022 and elevation phases completed or underway in multiple stages. The witnesses emphasized that the program relies on cost-sharing among state, local, and federal partners and that a small state “seed” appropriation is needed to leverage larger federal contributions. They said about $300,000 a year in seed money could help secure additional federal funds, while a three-year imagery refresh cycle would cost about $5.7 million annually and storage/processing about $150,000 a year. They also noted that no subscription fee is charged for access, opposed charging for use of the data even by for-profit users, and said the program is intended as an economic development tool that avoids multiple entities paying for the same geography. Members asked about the funding request, the potential federal match, and whether the state should charge private companies for access. The witnesses explained that the requested amount was for aerial photography and LAR seed money, that federal funds would not cover aerial photography directly, and that the program already uses a cost-share model with 28 partners rather than subscriptions. They also clarified that imagery is refreshed every three years and elevation data on a longer cycle, with elevation prioritized because it supports accuracy for roads, water lines, and broadband planning. The presentation concluded with no formal vote on the program itself; after questions ended, the chair thanked the witnesses and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• we've laid out here is permitting in two phases: early site permitting, where, you know, under the NRC
• But we are seeing that, you know, pressure on the NRC showing up in other applications, like so there's
• , as they're going through their licensing process, if they've seen measurable improvement from the NRC
• And I think folks have come to the realization now, with how things are changing at the NRC, this is
• The NRC continues as a regulator.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh they go through the NRC them.
• Chairman, uh, the NRC training that they go through is basically all the requirements that the NRC has
• They do have staff and NRC staff.
• the NRC or Oakidge charges? the NRC or Oakidge charges? >> Um<01:36:52.239> Mr.
• Um it it has in the past with the NRC.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Management, or the NRCS EWP program, or any other state or federal agency that might be involved with
• We'll conduct congressional inquiries to NRCS.
• We'll do an inquiry to NRCS.
• I did an inquiry to NRCS, and NRCS said, well, no, it's a Fish and Wildlife Service issue.
• And NRCS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, that way we start to have a relationship with the NRC.
• think it's essential that Delaware starts the process of becoming an agreement state program with the NRC
• . ...process of becoming an agreement state program with the NRC.
• I think the way to save it here is because the NRC will take on responsibility for controlling all those
• Because the NRC will take on the responsibility of controlling all those things.

Summary: The meeting focused on finalizing recommendations from the Delaware Nuclear Energy Task Force, with most of the discussion centered on how the state should organize itself to evaluate and potentially pursue nuclear power. Public commenters strongly supported nuclear energy, emphasizing energy reliability, economic competitiveness, data center demand, and the need for Delaware to act quickly. Several speakers argued that Delaware is falling behind neighboring states and should not delay if it wants to attract developers and preserve access to federal tax incentives. Members then worked through revisions to the recommendations, especially the section on state actions moving forward. There was broad agreement that Delaware needs a clearly empowered leadership structure, but disagreement over the best form: a cabinet-level energy agency, an expanded existing agency such as DENREC, a dedicated coordinator, an expanded Sustainable Energy Utility, or a separate quasi-independent authority. Some members favored a nimble, one-off entity with bonding and financing authority; others cautioned against creating a new body outside state government and stressed the need for coordination with existing agencies, public oversight, and cost discipline. The group also discussed adding responsibilities such as site identification, public engagement, coordination with PJM and federal agencies, and financing tools, while removing or folding in items that seemed duplicative or too broad. The committee also revised earlier modules to broaden the focus from small modular reactors to nuclear power more generally, while keeping the task force’s original SMR work in view. Members agreed to keep recommendations on state and local regulatory readiness, financial mechanisms, permitting coordination, and public engagement, and to add a recommendation for Delaware to participate as an observer in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative through NASEO and NARUC. The committee approved the revised Module Four recommendations by vote, with one abstention from Tom Noyes. Minutes from the prior meeting were also approved with minor corrections.