Last week, President Trump signed two Executive Orders on nuclear energy and Gold Standard Science.
The Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base order seeks to expedite and promote the production and operation of nuclear energy in America by streamlining regulations, allowing reactor construction on federal lands, and requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue licensing decisions within 18 months. The orders also promote uranium mining and enrichment to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply.
Meanwhile, the Restoring Gold Standard Science Executive Order mandates that federally funded research adhere to stricter principles of transparency and reproducibility standards. The Executive Order cites falling public trust in scientific research as justification for the new instructions, which include new definitions for numerous terms and strict enforcement guidelines. The new procedures are set to take place within 30 days.