Bill · S. 3828· Senate(119-S-3828)
CLEAN SMART Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 2/11/2026
- Last activity
- 2/11/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Ben Luján
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill establishes the "Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship" to support the Department of Energy's cleanup missions. The Network aims to advance the research, development, and deployment of technologies to handle radioactive and hazardous waste. It focuses on minimizing environmental contamination, lowering cleanup costs, and accelerating site decommissioning. The legislation also creates an Interagency Advisory Group to coordinate technology transfer and science efforts across various federal agencies. Additionally, it mandates a Technology Development and Deployment Framework to guide strategic research and workforce development.
Yes· 3 of 9
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+8
The bill establishes a network to minimize the impact of environmental contamination and risks from radioactive and hazardous waste.
Does this put more money into scientific research?+7
The bill authorizes $55,000,000 specifically to support research, development, and deployment of environmental cleanup technologies.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?+6
The bill aims to lower lifecycle cleanup costs for various sites through advanced treatment technologies and disposal methods.
The opposite
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?-4
The bill explicitly exempts the Network and its Advisory Group from the Federal Advisory Committee Act, limiting public oversight.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Reduced Environmental and Health Risks: The Network is tasked with minimizing the impact of environmental contamination and risks to public health and the environment caused by radioactive and hazardous waste (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Lower Cleanup Costs: The bill aims to lower lifecycle cleanup costs for various sites (Section 3(b)(2)).
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Faster Cleanup Timelines: The provisions intend to accelerate cleanup schedules or reduce the time required for site decommissioning (Section 3(b)(3)).
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Workforce and Career Opportunities: The Act seeks to assist the Department in developing career pathway training opportunities in environmental remediation science, with a specific focus on engaging historically underserved or marginalized populations (Section 3(c)(11)). The framework also supports a workforce pipeline leveraging higher education institutions serving minority or historically underserved populations (Section 5(b)(2)(A)(iv)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limited Stakeholder Input: While the Network may engage stakeholders, it is prohibited from allowing the regular and systematic participation of stakeholders at its meetings (Section 3(f)(2)). Furthermore, the engagement of nonmembers is limited to providing individual advice and recommendations (Section 3(f)(3)).
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Exclusion of Federal Oversight Laws: The Federal Advisory Committee Act will not apply to the Network or the activities of the Interagency Advisory Group (Sections 3(j) and 4(b)(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+6Increases Job Creation+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For African Americans+4Good For Low Income Households+3Good For People With Disabilities+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+8
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+7
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency-4
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+2
- 2/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Tim ScottRepublican · South Carolina