Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety

The Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety Subcommittee is a specialized division of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Like all subcommittees, it handles initial hearings and legislative review within a narrower jurisdiction than the full committee, preparing the groundwork for bills that only the full committee can report to the Senate floor.

The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers three main policy areas. First, clean air issues including the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation, the Clean Air Act, indoor air quality, and air pollution. Second, nuclear issues including oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear plant safety, and nonmilitary environmental regulation of nuclear energy. Third, the Tennessee Valley Authority. This specialized focus allows the subcommittee to develop expertise in the complex intersection of environmental protection and nuclear technology policy.

The subcommittee is chaired by Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), with Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) serving as Ranking Member. The 17-member panel includes senators from both parties with interests in energy, environmental, and nuclear policy. Recent activity has included business meetings focused on Nuclear Regulatory Commission reforms and the ADVANCE Act, examining how the NRC can better support nuclear innovation while maintaining safety standards and workforce development.