HEADLINES ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. IT IS FREE FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD. THE STATE MOVING ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO GOING NUCLEAR. EVAN ONSTOT HERE WITH ME NOW. AND EVAN, A BILL PASSING COMMITTEE TO CREATE REGULATIONS FOR WHEN THAT TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE WIDELY AVAILABLE FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION. RIGHT. AND IT DID PASS COMMITTEE, BUT IT WAS CLOSE. ALL RIGHT. SO FOUR LAWMAKERS VOTED FOR IT. THREE VOTED AGAINST IT. THE BILL’S AUTHOR IS REPRESENTATIVE NICK ARCHER OF ELK CITY SAYS THE BILL WOULD ONLY PREPARE THE STATE FOR THE DAY THAT NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY IS DEVELOPED AND ROLLED OUT FOR USE, SO THAT OKLAHOMA WILL NOT BE PLAYING CATCH UP WHEN THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE. REPRESENTATIVE ARCHER SAYS THAT DAY, THOUGH, IS A LOT CLOSER THAN YOU MAY THINK. NUCLEAR CAN BE A TOUCHY SUBJECT, I THINK WHEN A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THINK ABOUT NUCLEAR, THEY THINK ABOUT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. THEY THINK ABOUT THE FUKUSHIMA EVENTS OR THE CHERNOBYL TYPE EVENTS. BUT I THINK WHAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS DON’T CONSIDER IS THE FACT THAT NUCLEAR SMALL MODULAR REACTORS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED IN OUR NAVAL FLEET SINCE THE EARLY 50S. AND AND WE ASKED REPRESENTATIVE ARCHER ABOUT THE NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION THAT IS STILL IN THE GROUNDWATER RIGHT OUTSIDE OF CRESCENT. AND IF HE THINKS THAT THAT SHOULD WEIGH INTO THIS NEW PLAN, CONSIDERING CLEANUP EFFORTS ARE STILL NOT COMPLETE MORE THAN 50 YEARS LATER, HE SAYS REGULATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MAKE THINGS SAFER TODAY. I’M NOT SUPER VERSED, BUT GIVEN I INTRODUCED A NUCLEAR BILL, I DID HAVE TO START TO DO SOME RESEARCH THERE. AND I STILL THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT MANY DECADES AGO WHEN WHEN THAT STUFF WAS IN THE STATE AND WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, WHAT IN THE 70S, TIMES HAVE CHANGED DRASTICALLY. THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY. THE BILL, IF IT PASSES, WOULD CREATE THE ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY OFFICE, A STATE OFFICE THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING THE USE OF ADVANCED REACTORS AND CREATING REGULATORY FRAMEWORK TO FOLLOW. IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE GOVERNOR TO APPOINT A DIRECTOR TO THAT OFFICE. IT IS A STORY AND A BILL THAT WE WILL BE MONITORING. AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU DO WANT TO SEE MORE OF OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION THAT IS ALREADY SITTING IN OKLAHO
Oklahoma bill advances to regulate future nuclear energy technology
A bill narrowly passed committee in Oklahoma to establish regulations for nuclear energy technology, aiming to prepare the state for future advancements.
A bill to establish regulations for nuclear energy technology in Oklahoma has narrowly passed committee, with four votes in favor and three against, aiming to prepare the state for future advancements. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterState Rep. Nick Archer, the bill’s author, said the legislation is designed to prepare the state for the day when new nuclear energy technology is developed and rolled out for use, ensuring Oklahoma is not left behind.”Nuclear can be a touchy subject. I think when a lot of individuals think about nuclear, they think about the worst-case scenario. They think about the Fukishima events, or the Chernobyl type events,” Archer said. “But I think what a lot of individuals don’t consider is the fact that nuclear small modular reactors have been deployed in our naval fleet since the early 50’s.”Concerns remain about nuclear contamination in the groundwater outside of Crescent which has not been fully cleaned up more than 50 years later. Archer addressed these concerns, stating that regulations and technology have made things safer today. “I’m not super versed but given I wrote the bill I did research and you’re talking about decades ago when that stuff was in the state and what, in the ’70s? Time has changed drastically,” he said.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The bill, if passed, would create the Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, a state office responsible for promoting the use of advanced reactors and creating a regulatory framework. It would also require the governor to appoint a director of the office. The progress of this bill will be closely monitored as Oklahoma continues to address its nuclear energy future. Top HeadlinesWildfires injure 4 firefighters, burn more than 155,000 acres in western Oklahoma: What we knowOklahoma fire risk continues after Gov. Kevin Stitt declares state of emergency for 3 countiesInteractive map shows where wildfires have broken out across OklahomaIKEA announces it will open its first Oklahoma store later this yearTax season: Credits parents should know before filing
A bill to establish regulations for nuclear energy technology in Oklahoma has narrowly passed committee, with four votes in favor and three against, aiming to prepare the state for future advancements.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
State Rep. Nick Archer, the bill’s author, said the legislation is designed to prepare the state for the day when new nuclear energy technology is developed and rolled out for use, ensuring Oklahoma is not left behind.
“Nuclear can be a touchy subject. I think when a lot of individuals think about nuclear, they think about the worst-case scenario. They think about the Fukishima events, or the Chernobyl type events,” Archer said. “But I think what a lot of individuals don’t consider is the fact that nuclear small modular reactors have been deployed in our naval fleet since the early 50’s.”
Concerns remain about nuclear contamination in the groundwater outside of Crescent which has not been fully cleaned up more than 50 years later.
Archer addressed these concerns, stating that regulations and technology have made things safer today.
“I’m not super versed but given I wrote the bill I did research and you’re talking about decades ago when that stuff was in the state and what, in the ’70s? Time has changed drastically,” he said.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The bill, if passed, would create the Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, a state office responsible for promoting the use of advanced reactors and creating a regulatory framework.
It would also require the governor to appoint a director of the office.
The progress of this bill will be closely monitored as Oklahoma continues to address its nuclear energy future.
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