NRC Office of Public Engagement and Participation Act of 2025

This bill mandates the establishment of an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) within 180 days of enactment. The Office's primary role is to enhance and support public participation in NRC proceedings, serving as a liaison for public interest advocates. It will provide educational and technical guidance, including assistance with submitting comments and hearing requests, and coordinate various forms of aid for participants. The Office will be led by a Director, appointed by the Chair with Commission approval, serving a five-year term. The Director will report to the Commission but maintain independence from individual members or staff, ensuring the Office can freely carry out its functions. A key responsibility includes facilitating the implementation of recommendations from the NRC's "Systematic Review of How Agency Programs, Policies, and Activities Address Environmental Justice" document. A significant provision is the creation of an Intervenor Trust Fund to provide financial compensation to eligible participants in NRC proceedings. Compensation will cover reasonable attorney's fees, expert witness fees, and other costs for participants who demonstrate significant financial hardship and whose involvement is determined to provide a substantial contribution to the proceeding record. The bill outlines a process for determining eligibility, including the possibility of up-front grants, and ensures that compensation claims are not affected by the outcome of the proceeding. The Commission is required to promulgate rules for this compensation process within 180 days. The Director of the Office must submit annual reports to Congress detailing the Office's activities, types of assistance requests received, common difficulties faced by the public, and an accounting of compensation requests and payments made. This Act explicitly states that it does not reduce existing public engagement standards for the Commission.