[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6227389,"mediaKeyId","3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d","parentId",3491871,"title","Wyoming committee asks LSO to draft bill limiting liability for nuclear security personnel","audioSeconds",6553,"startMs",647000,"endMs",7200000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d&start=647&end=7200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d/thumbnail_647000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227389/Wyoming/Wyoming-committee-asks-LSO-to-draft-bill-limiting-liability-for-nuclear-security-personnel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227389-6a87056d4a5d92ae9fc7c2689ed668d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921043&Signature=lZeYgLcrTW-CN0qoVoxAXtiGTFYnsrhiWGQbdYycKa1KxiFb-O7jRVgPkG0bpQYuaiX1pn0hKjplwH-0eDxPjlr~kGAaOY3RDjh33fzsD15Mv~4zjV5Iq3vMSO3YViH5~CAwKi7RMegbtBXZ1GMIGXLkfzcMvNaKSU5u~gOzCwtYAWIK~9N9~Ydwv5NVTu77hCfbb5v9y80LYiY6jS79UFAwe0~mhvMjeFfr2wnpkx93~0aWZ7fsEThmRWXsshVSHBjrK4KQvjbPXYJV1-NDn89ICB5LvyHXmtJNOpp68jdBFRVgBZ9ImDzeHWFQoi7Pf-GPTYUqKfAC0ou79okzwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-05-23T11:21:48Z","article","The Minerals, Business & Economic Development interim committee voted to ask Legislative Service Office staff to draft legislation that would clarify legal protections for armed security personnel at commercial nuclear generating sites.

Committee members said they moved because applicants and licensees told the panel that federal regulation requires on‑site security but that Wyoming law lacks an explicit shield for personnel who may have to use force to defend a licensed facility. \"Without such protections, security personnel at TerraPower's Kemmer facility and any future commercial nuclear facilities in Wyoming remain exposed to potential civil and criminal liability,\" said Melissa Darlington, nuclear security manager for TerraPower, who testified in Casper.

Lawmakers asked LSO to prepare a draft modeled on statutes in other states and to circulate it for further refinement before the committee reconvenes in July. Senator Mike Rafuss moved the committee direction to work with LSO and stakeholders to draft appropriate language; Representative Knapp seconded the motion and the committee approved it.

Supporters said the change is limited in scope: it would apply to trained, employed security personnel at a commercial nuclear generating station or its fenced yard, acting on reasonable belief while performing authorized duties, and would not provide blanket immunity. As Travis McNiven, a TerraPower representative, explained, the draft borrows \"heavily\" from Arizona and Kansas, where similar provisions have been on the books for years. Committee members flagged drafting questions—most notably the geographic limits of the immunity (the fenced facility boundary versus a broader site perimeter) and the relationship of any new state statute to federal NRC requirements.

Opponents and public commenters cautioned against expanding immunity. Several residents and some legislators pressed for more public outreach and legal review before finalizing language. The committee asked LSO to prepare a working draft for public comment and to convene a small stakeholder working group, with the committee nominating Senator Nethercott for the group because of her experience with criminal code issues.

The committee voted to advance the request to LSO, and to consider the draft at its next meeting in Casper in July. The committee also requested a companion LSO product that would summarize how existing state statutes (including those cited in the draft) would interact with the proposed language.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, May 22, 2025-PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Minerals, Business & Economic Development interim committee asked staff to draft a bill that would limit civil and criminal exposure for trained security personnel at licensed commercial nuclear sites, following testimony that Wyoming law does not clearly shield guards who must use force to defend a reactor site.","taxTitle","Minerals, Business & Economic Development, Joint & Standing, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",15490,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227373,"Public unease over waste storage, polling and community outreach surfaces in Casper hearings",5831,3449000,9280000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d&start=3449&end=9280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d/thumbnail_3449000.jpg","/articles/6227373/Wyoming/Public-unease-over-waste-storage-polling-and-community-outreach-surfaces-in-Casper-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227373-79e5448813c90dcf3586b8b7fdec9c6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921043&Signature=b1IFWUvSls~YnsPYPYeTInZuCbs51RLYjy8WdmPCVjUR2f5~zQ4FWAZqqF3ICOW2z12YNqGUq42duroI7SsGLoao1F7vudLYwZ8Lw4F2SJuWab0Huww54B4H1ERCjzb6lg1AZ~C8Kq-QWbrueL6y8T4A9fNazTkZJe0kU6BTbyWsVdymo4FltuNKbOir37m89C7xr8wRYWbVLI9Sxck0w3UgpIf6hKub7jiif8XXXgMSlW4gD~A71OLKjtTsb7ntuFjYe1l10Pyh4ve-sM3dw10w-L4M2TJAeq3Vwoz1Cg059I7CDK3~eZ2-9x5nLuIBCtBifzqbSiUxzUxKDTtxLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Community members and several elected officials used the committee hearing in Casper to press for clearer answers about spent fuel storage, the scope of county surveys and public education campaigns as nuclear projects are considered for Wyoming.

Rosemarie Savon, a Natrona County resident, said county and municipal leaders must not rush into storage decisions and recommended caution and full public review. Carrie Agin, a Buffalo resident and retired geoscientist, told the committee she was \"increased\" in her concerns after the security and site discussions and urged more community engagement and a slow, transparent review before the state changes statutes that could facilitate storage or limit liability.

Radiant representatives clarified earlier polling reports: Luke Wilson said, \"it is not a Radiant‑sponsored poll\" and that Radiant plans a separate, company‑sponsored poll toward the end of the summer and additional door‑to‑door outreach in Bar Nunn. Wilson said Radiant sees generally positive sentiment in direct interactions but acknowledged concerns raised at town halls. Committee members questioned the representativeness of a county‑circulated online survey and noted some attendees at a town council meeting had not received the survey link.

Elected officials urged more education and transparency. Dave North, Natrona County commissioner, said \"the majority of my constituents that have reached out to me are in support of this,\" adding he heard concerns about third‑party waste storage and pledged to try to address them. Casper City Council members said the city would provide a letter of support for infrastructure work and noted community college and high‑school technical programs are positioned to supply trained trade workers. Sheriff Shane Johnson of Lincoln County told the committee that his office is already discussing coordination with TerraPower and that rural response times and staffing levels will be points of ongoing planning.

Committee members asked for further, independent outreach and for any sponsoring companies to provide clearer information on where waste would come from and how it would be handled and transported. Several public speakers urged the committee to wait and not change state law until public questions about long‑term storage and legal authority were resolved.","Public comment and elected officials' testimony highlighted concerns about long‑term spent fuel storage, the accuracy of local polling, and the need for more public education; Radiant officials said the county‑conducted poll was not Radiant‑sponsored and that Radiant will complete its own poll later in the summer.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227378,"TerraPower updates committee: Natrium project proceeds, energy island work to start this year",180,6140000,6320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d&start=6140&end=6320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d/thumbnail_6140000.jpg","/articles/6227378/Wyoming/TerraPower-updates-committee-Natrium-project-proceeds-energy-island-work-to-start-this-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227378-150d1a59ee9c7bd5de819ff08c70421c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921043&Signature=OXELEyOFvccinHjxQONuOI1WTdLttwIhSH4nf39I1WyRvjiBFuGMLOJKYZKLxPXbA~z~aYz9VAp7qX3PovAbHaXE83~fd8xmljj6xWWGNW52WraBxivlUjAUHNtdCgNHlRug7mYV8ioEG~GDiHOXVTzksYyM6WBotoMbAKbATX3WBu~1~jGkCuyXgRmjdhJA-JOBlmqhEItovqhd0zQvBI8Aqd4-Bky-oEOvOBvYJyOjznDBoJ3THsldNVeDHPEPqC59UYdDUGTc7QxTdya38gKhdY05n4E28fYBprnn0UXv32EpKMWGhpDbGfMOGWIeW0x~MeL52gb-gsHj057Ogw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","TerraPower representatives and local elected officials told the Minerals committee that construction and training work for the Natrium demonstration project in Kemmerer is underway and that the company plans phased construction tied to NRC licensing.

Andrew Richards, vice president for government affairs at TerraPower, said the project is a public‑private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and Rocky Mountain Power. \"The Natrium reactor is a 345 megawatt electric sodium cooled fast reactor paired with a molten salt storage system,\" Richards said. He described the plant as a demonstration that delivers dependable base‑load power and can ramp output to 500 megawatts for short periods to support grid reliability.

Richards told the committee that TerraPower began non‑nuclear support construction in January 2025 with a sodium test and fill facility already under way, and that the company expects to start construction of the Energy Island later this year after state approvals. He said TerraPower submitted a construction permit application to the NRC in March 2024 (accepted in May 2024) and anticipates a construction permit for the nuclear island in late 2026; the company is targeting reactor completion in 2030.

Local officials from Natrona County, Gillette and Casper emphasized workforce and economic development. Dave North, Natrona County commissioner, said \"the majority of my constituents that have reached out to me are in support of this\" and urged officials to address public questions about long‑term storage and public safety through education and discussion. The mayor of Gillette told the committee his city is prepared to \"become the national epicenter of small modular reactors, microreactor manufacturing, and the next generation nuclear fuel development,\" and urged state matching funds to keep companies from relocating to other states.

Casper City Council members and the Casper vice mayor said the city would provide letters of support and noted local career and technical education partnerships. The Wyoming Mining Association said TerraPower had discussed future sourcing of Wyoming uranium with producers and that the project could expand a market for local miners.

Committee members flagged topics for further work: water and infrastructure needs in Kemmerer, community engagement and surveys of local sentiment, and workforce training pipelines through community colleges and high‑school career programs. TerraPower representatives said they will continue outreach, noted an exemption confirming some Energy Island work falls outside NRC licensing, and reiterated that nuclear‑island construction will not begin until federal licensing is complete.

","TerraPower officials told Wyoming legislators the Natrium demonstration reactor near Kemmerer is advancing: non‑nuclear site work and training facilities are under way, energy‑island construction is slated to begin later this year and the company expects a construction permit for the nuclear island in late 2026 with commercial completion targeted ",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227383,"NRC outlines security requirements, DBT and rulemaking for small modular reactors",1445,3545000,4990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d&start=3545&end=4990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491871-3f3fa131e7991f64dd7627b6f98a1c2d/thumbnail_3545000.jpg","/articles/6227383/Wyoming/NRC-outlines-security-requirements-DBT-and-rulemaking-for-small-modular-reactors","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227383-0c4c41c8ac5ee4514bf65252b71bd9f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921043&Signature=BMdr6t5VlGNnc4RWeY9J0s6QQHGKi0ZgCzIwkAQlyCFk-GNzuDHF~bl9p1IINTpqAm89aoX8oytEohQ5wsD9SKMGrEtF7k7DbgwkznG-5hFY5YnUZejGzISX-QlMQnmMFByhGakYmhHZD4YVZ8Oj49s1DKhxxobNgaX6qtbBKun2CXDEZuktyQjRndZLeWbJ8H15wQcUNVbeicWZ7uHSDfs8WPZzvKU4CuUlCtWhEY-HzXpqQD7-AAqBTvMs3oBvtLqNJNzXrK4jCp1Ek3PbiiJr419DRVHVCEN6z86fOXwJmFV-FHFlTJJsc0Su51ywqDFGMYxlZGMZglHImVWdTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ryan Alexander, regional State and Government Liaison Officer for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Region IV office, gave the committee a high‑level briefing on federal security requirements for fixed nuclear facilities and on NRC rulemaking for next‑generation reactors.

Alexander told lawmakers that the underpinning of NRC security requirements is contained in Title 10, Part 73 of the Code of Federal Regulations and centers on the ‘‘design basis threat’’ (DBT), the agency's term for the set of capabilities that a licensee must defend against. He said licensees must design, maintain and have NRC oversight of systems that \"provide a high assurance that activities involving special nuclear material support the common defense and security and do not constitute an unreasonable risk to the public health and safety.\" Alexander also explained that Part 73 requires plans and systems to detect, assess, interdict and neutralize threats up to and including the DBT, and that the agency conducts regular inspections and force‑on‑force exercises to verify readiness.

On advanced technologies, Alexander described two parallel NRC rulemaking efforts: a limited rule to allow voluntary, alternative physical security requirements for small modular and advanced reactors that have lower potential radiological consequences and more integrated security design features; and a broader Part 53 licensing framework being developed to provide a technology‑inclusive, risk‑informed route for advanced reactor licensing. He said those rulemakings aim to permit performance‑based and scalable approaches while maintaining a commensurate level of protection.

Alexander emphasized the DBT’s expectations for licensees to consider \"well‑trained adversaries\" and to include insider‑threat and cyber scenarios in security planning. He said NRC staff coordinate with federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies on threat assessments and can order licensees to make plan changes if the threat environment shifts. The NRC presentation framed security as an ongoing oversight activity, not a one‑time approval.

Committee members asked about timing for plan submissions and who bears responsibility for long‑term security costs if an operator ceases operations; Alexander said security plans are reviewed as part of operating license applications, and that license transfers or sales (and NRC licensing steps) are used to ensure continued stewardship, with the regulator engaged if a company files for bankruptcy.

The NRC briefing supplied technical context to later testimony on security immunity and to questions about local law enforcement capacity to respond to on‑site incidents.

","An NRC regional liaison told the Wyoming Minerals committee about the agency's physical security framework — anchored in 10 CFR Part 73 and the 'design basis threat' — and described ongoing rulemaking to scale security requirements for smaller and advanced reactors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wyoming committee asks LSO to draft bill limiting liability for nuclear security personnel

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TerraPower updates committee: Natrium project proceeds, energy island work to start this year

NRC outlines security requirements, DBT and rulemaking for small modular reactors