Photo Credit: Alex Milan Tracy
Nuclear “study” bill? No thanks!
By Kelly Campbell, Policy Director
In 2025, nuclear-boosters unleashed an unexpected onslaught of 13 pro-nuclear bills in the Oregon Legislature. Columbia Riverkeeper and our partners quickly rallied together and successfully prevented any of the bills from passing. But we knew they would be back for more.
In the 2026 short session, nuclear proponents have introduced HB 4060 which proposes that the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) “study” nuclear power for Oregon. Like last year, the original bill was written with biased language that makes the “study” more of a propaganda piece in support of nuclear power. Also like last year, we were able to propose amended language that makes the bill more of an honest study of the pros and cons of nuclear power. (Note: amended language is not finalized and available on OLIS as of February 4, 2026).
However, we still have major concerns about the bill. These include:
- Private and federal funding would pay for the study. In order to avoid a price tag for the study, the bill proposes that all funding would come from private and federal funds, to be raised by the ODOE. This opens the door for private funders with a financial interest in nuclear projects — like big tech, nuclear corporations, and the nuclear safety-slashing Trump administration — to pay for the study they want, not a study with integrity.
- Affected communities are left out. We proposed that the study include an advisory group of affected communities including representatives of environmental justice communities, clean water advocates, public health professionals, and others who bring their particular expertise to the issue. We were told that this was “too expensive” and would “cost too much” to be included in the amended bill. Shutting meaningful community input out of the process will not create a robust and trustworthy study.
- Federal nuclear safeguards are being thrown out the window. In recent weeks, the federal government has accelerated its efforts at destroying national safety standards for nuclear development in the U.S. This includes secretly rewriting nuclear safety rules with industry involvement, exempting new nuclear projects from National Environmental Policy Act rules and more. The federal government’s recent actions prompted Washington legislators to stop a nuclear “study” bill in their state, and Oregon should follow their lead. We must protect ourselves.
Let’s be clear: this “study” bill is not about an honest look at the pros and cons of nuclear power. It’s a vehicle for the nuclear industry and their Big Tech backers to get a foothold in Oregon and lay the groundwork to come back in future sessions with more proposals like those in 2025 to exempt Umatilla County from our statewide moratorium on new nuclear reactors, or to dismantle the moratorium itself.
Sign our petition to the Oregon House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee and tell them: No Nuclear “Study,” No Thanks!
