Senate Confirms Marzano as the Newest Nuclear Regulatory Member

The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Joe Biden’s selection of Matt Marzano, a former nuclear reactor operator, to join the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Marzano will serve a five-year term ending June 2028, filling Jeff Baran’s seat that has been vacant since summer 2023.

His confirmation, by a 50-45 vote, comes as Congress pushes for faster and more efficient nuclear permitting through the Advance Act, which could garner further support from President-elect Donald Trump.

“I’ve seen first-hand Matt’s dedication to public service and commitment to bipartisan solutions” during his time on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) said Thursday in a post on X.

“Matt was essential to getting the ADVANCE Act across the finish line,” Carper wrote.

Marzano received strong support from Senate environment committee Democrats and several nuclear power associations.

“Mr. Marzano’s extensive technical expertise, including his background as a nuclear engineer and senior reactor operator, along with his experience on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, uniquely positions him to accelerate Commission efforts to enable the effective, efficient, and predictable regulation of nuclear energy and nuclear technology,” the Nuclear Innovation Alliance said in a statement Thursday.

The Senate Committee held a 10-9 vote in favor of his confirmation in late November, with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) voicing GOP opposition to his role on commission.

“I do not have confidence that he has the necessary background and experience to be that agent of change at the Commission, or to set the commission up for the agency’s next 50 years,” Capito said during her vote Nov. 20.

Marzano, nominated by Biden in July, spent a decade leading nuclear reactor operations, including as senior reactor operator at Braidwood Generating Station in Illinois, before attaining a staff position on the Senate committee.

Marzano is the first NRC member in decades to hold a nuclear license.