The secretary may create expedited permitting programs and must adopt rules that label the permits as expedited or as issued under the nuclear power parity program.
§2014.5. Expedited permitting program A. The secretary is authorized to develop and implement a program to expedite the processing of permits, modifications, licenses, registrations, or variances for environmental permit applicants who may request such services and the secretary shall adopt rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act which shall include a notice that indicates such permit is an expedited permit. B.(1) The secretary is authorized to develop and implement a federal permitting parity program for nuclear power generation to expedite the processing of permits, modifications, registrations, or variances for environmental permit applications submitted by an electric public utility as defined in R.S. 45:121. In addition to an application for an expedited permit, the electric public utility shall submit to the secretary the following: (a) That the purpose of the application is the development and construction of a small modular reactor. (b) That the application is submitted by an electric public utility that states the application is consistent in all material respects with the elements identified in a letter of collaboration that has been entered into between the electric public utility and the president of the United States, the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of State, the United States Department of the Interior, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The letter of collaboration shall be on file with the department. (2) The secretary shall adopt rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act which shall include a notice that indicates such permit is issued pursuant to the federal permitting parity program for nuclear power generation. (3) For purposes of this Section, "electric public utility" shall include the definition provided in R.S. 45:121, in addition to any provider, operator, owner, generator, developer, designer, or customer of a small modular reactor. Acts 2006, No. 586, §1; Acts 2025, No. 111, §1.