EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL LICENSEES FROM ANNUAL CHARGES.

SEC. 2903. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL LICENSEES FROM ANNUAL CHARGES. (a) In General.— Section 6101(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 2214(c)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking “Any licensee” and inserting “Except as provided in paragraph (4), any licensee”; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(4) Exemption.— “(A) In general.— Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the holder of any license for a federally owned research reactor used primarily for educational training and academic research purposes. “(B) Research reactor.— For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘research reactor’ means a nuclear reactor that— “(i) is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under section 104 c. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2134(c)) for operation at a thermal power level of 10 megawatts or less; and “(ii) if so licensed for operation at a thermal power level of more than 1 megawatt, does not contain— “(I) a circulating loop through the core in which the licensee conducts fuel experiments; “(II) a liquid fuel loading; or “(III) an experimental facility in the core in excess of 16 square inches in cross-section.”. (b) Applicability.— The amendments made subsection (a) shall apply to annual charges assessed under section 6101(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 for fiscal year 1992 or any succeeding fiscal year. (c) Policy Review.— The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall review its policy for assessment of annual charges under section 6101(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, solicit public comment on the need for changes to such policy, and recommend to the Congress such changes in existing law as the Commission finds are needed to prevent the placement of an unfair burden on certain licensees of the Commission, in particular those that hold licenses to operate federally owned research reactors used primarily for educational training and academic research purposes.