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Annie Caputo, nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate, was sworn in as a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Commissioner on 9 August 2022. Bradley R. Crowell, also nominated by President Biden and Senate confirmed, is scheduled to be sworn in by NRC Chairman Christopher T. Hanson later in August. He will become the fifth NRC Commissioner.
Commissioner Caputo will serve the remainder of a five-year term ending 30 June 2026. Commissioner Crowell will serve the remainder of a five-year term ending 30 June 2027. This will bring the Commission to its full five members for the first time since January 2021.
The Commission was established to be a collegial body that formulates policies, develops regulations, issues orders to licensees and adjudicates legal matters. The Commissioners serve five-year terms, with one term expiring every year on 30 June. No more than three Commissioners may be of the same political party.
Commissioner Caputo previously served on the NRC Commission from 2018 to 2021. Most recently, she worked as a consultant for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) related to international collaboration on advanced nuclear reactors. Prior to her work at INL, she served as a professional staff member on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, assisting with issues related to the National Nuclear Security Administration's infrastructure. She previously served as senior policy advisor for Chairman John Barrasso on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She also held this position for then-Chairman James Inhofe from 2007 to 2012. From 2005 to 2006 and 2012 to 2015, Commissioner Caputo worked for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, handling nuclear energy issues.
Most recently, Commissioner Crowell served as director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, where he led approximately 1,000 employees and managed a nearly $300 million biennial budget. Commissioner Crowell has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of energy, environment, natural resources, climate change, and national security, including executive leadership positions in federal and state government. He previously worked for multiple members of Congress, including former Nevada Governor and Senator Richard Bryan and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Commissioner Crowell served in the Obama-Biden Administration at the US Department of Energy from 2010 to 2016, including serving as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.