June 28, 2006

• What's New?
• Upcoming Events
• Action Alerts
• Documents
• Who We Are
• Corbin Harney
• Staff
• Contact Info

Bennett Says Senate Language Rids Need For Nuke Storage at Skull Valley
Senate Subcommittee Calls for New Interim Storage Facilities in States with Nuclear Reactors
Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Press Release
June 27, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water approved language that would eliminate the need for the proposed spent nuclear fuel storage site at Skull Valley, Utah, and would require federally-owned storage facilities to be built within each state that has a civilian nuclear power reactor.

“Today’s vote is good news for Utah. It eliminates the need for the PFS facility in Utah and endorses reprocessing efforts, which I have long supported,” said Bennett. “I believe the proposal supported unanimously today makes great strides in our efforts to find a long term solution to the nation’s nuclear waste challenge.”

The language approved in the Fiscal Year 2007 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill gives the secretary of energy (“secretary”) the authority, in consultation with the governor of each state containing a civilian nuclear power reactor, to consolidate commercial spent nuclear fuel at a separate, federally-owned facility within that state. The secretary may also deem it in the national interest to have a regional facility. However, the language prohibits the secretary from storing spent nuclear fuel in any state where a commercial, dry cask storage facility has been licensed. Utah is excluded from consideration because it does not have a nuclear power reactor and because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a license for the PFS facility in Skull Valley.

The provision requires the secretary to designate sites within 270 days of enactment, and these facilities will receive a nonrenewable license to store the waste for 25 years. These federally-owned sites will be managed by the secretary.

The spending measure also contains $250 million for a new Department of Energy program, the purpose of which is to develop advanced technology for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. Bennett has long advocated reprocessing as a long term solution for the nation’s nuclear waste.

The Senate Appropriations Committee will markup the bill on Thursday.

# # #

http://bennett.senate.gov/

http://www.bennett.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=257917