Nuclear power plants are the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the United States, supplying reliable and affordable power around the clock while also protecting public safety and the environment. These attributes make nuclear power essential to the nation’s urgent efforts to decarbonize the electric grid in response to climate change.
The industry’s numerous stakeholders include communities located near nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities. Those communities include minority, indigenous, low-income, and other disadvantaged populations. Nuclear power avoids adverse climate change impacts that have been shown to disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities. Nuclear power plants also provide jobs, local economic benefits, and community support.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines “environmental justice” as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, including those who are members of disadvantaged communities, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and its members are committed to advancing environmental justice objectives of fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all communities with regard to industry operations and activities. This commitment includes fostering and sustaining inclusive, trust-based, and mutually-beneficial relationships with local and disadvantaged communities.
Recognizing the critical importance of a socially and environmentally just transition to a decarbonized electric grid, NEI and its members strive to implement the following principles:
Actively Engage with Disadvantaged Communities to Enhance Mutual Trust and Understanding
- Engage in frequent, accessible outreach to obtain input from disadvantaged communities and increase the industry’s understanding of those communities’ unique values, interests, and concerns.
- Provide disadvantaged communities with timely, meaningful, and accessible information about current facility operations, proposed operational changes, and new facility plans.
Integrate Environmental Justice Considerations into Business and Operational Practices
- Integrate environmental justice considerations as part of the industry’s broader commitment to meeting the letter and spirit of laws, regulations, and policies that protect public health, safety, and the environment.
- Integrate environmental justice considerations into company business practices, including those related to supply chain sourcing.
- Educate and train company employees to foster their recognition and understanding of environmental justice issues.
- Use current data, information, and tools from reliable government and other sources, as well as direct input from disadvantaged communities, to identify and address environmental justice issues.
Support Efforts that Help Local, Disadvantaged Communities Share in the Benefits from Industry Operations and Activities
- Work with local, disadvantaged communities to understand which benefits of facility operations and activities they believe would best serve their communities.
- Promote the equitable distribution of benefits from facility operations and activities.
Support Public Policies Based on Mutual Respect and Justice
- Support policies and regulatory actions that advance the use of clean, reliable, and affordable carbon-free nuclear energy to protect the health, environment, and economic well-being of disadvantaged communities.
- Support policies that facilitate timely, accessible outreach to, and meaningful participation by, disadvantaged communities.
- Support efforts to accelerate the remediation of legacy sites associated with nuclear fuel production.
- Support equitable solutions for managing used nuclear fuel.
