b'12American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comInflation Reduction Act attacks climate policy with support for nuclear power developmentAlthough some favor renewables, U.S. government policy promotes a mix of alternative electricity generation.By Peter Buxbaum, AJOTTheInflationReductiontechnologies.IncombinationproducedonlyinRussiaand Act, which passed CongresswithhydrogenhubsnuclearChina,anadvancedfuel and was signed by Presidentcould help pave the wave to aneededtopowernext-gener-Joe Biden over the summer,hydrogen based economy.ationnuclearreactors.That takes aim at climate policy byDissenters are concernedprovisionbenefitsCentrus encouraging the United StatesaboutthedangersandcostsEnergyCorp.,aBethesda, economy to move away fromofexpandingnuclearpowerMaryland-basedsupplierof theuseoffossilfuelsandandarguethatrenewablesnuclearfuelforthepower towardtheuseoftechnolo- provideabetterweaponforindustry, and the nations sole giessuchasnuclearpowerfighting climate change. Sci- licensee for HALEU produc- A tugboat on the Mississippi River passes by the Port of Baton Rouge.forelectricitygeneration.entists also warn that the lead The legislation, which madetimes required to expand the(DEVELOPcontinuedWe spoke to Cargill and asked asurpriseresurrectioninnuclearinfrastructurewillfrom page 8) themiftheythoughthaving recent months after languish- leavelittleleewayintheandmostrecentlyasViceshoalinginformation30days inginCongressforayearefforttoforestallfuturecli- PresidentandChiefCom- in advance would be useful and andhalf,alsopromotesthemercial Officer. they said it would make all the use of solar, wind, hydrogen,Landrysaidtheportsdifference in the world.and carbon capture technolo- needmoredataaboutriverThe reason is that Cargill gies with an appropriation ofconditions: During my timecouldshipitsgrainexports $369 billion, much of that inat the Port of New Orleans,downtheMississippiRiver the form of tax credits.wewouldhearfromtheto Gulf Coast ports with the Nuclearpoweralreadypilots when they were berth- updateddraftdataatvari-provides19%oftheU.S.mate effects. tion by the U.S. Nuclear Reg- ingashipthattheydiscov- ousriverlocations.Cargill economys electricity genera- Besides providing tax cred- ulatory Commission.ered a problem with the draft.wouldbenefitbydeploying tion needs, making it seconditstosupporttheproductionBut Centrus CEO DanielIt happened at the Napoleonits barges more efficiently.behindnaturalgas.Nuclearofnuclearenergyresources,PonemannotedthatitwillAvenue Container Terminal. Landry said the research representsanimportantparttheInflationReductionActtakesustainedpublicandLandrysaidtheWaterproject started off with a few oftheclimatepolicyofthealsoincludesa$700mil- private investment over severalInstitute project will help antic- tugboats providing sounding U.S.government,whichlionappropriationtojump- years to establish the neces- ipate such problems in advancedatabackin2021and hasalreadymadefundingstartdomesticproductionofsary infrastructure to produceso dredging resources can behas grown to between 50-75 availableforresearchandHigh-Assay,Low-Enriched(SUPPORTcontinued ondeployed.(DEVELOPcontinued on designofnext-generationUranium (HALEU), currentlypage 16) Exporters also see the value:page 25)With more than 250 locations across five continents, we are a premier terminal SSAMarineoperator offering a full spectrum of services and cargo handling.www.ssamarine.com A Carrix Enterprise'