March 17, 2014

YUCCA AMENDMENT FIGHT IN SENATE

By ExchangeMonitor

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) yesterday backed off from his plans to introduce an amendment to fund Yucca Mountain after Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) offered an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill Tuesday prohibiting funds from being used to reopen the repository. Earlier this month Kirk announced his intention to push for an amendment funding Yucca Mountain, but yesterday switched tactics to focusing on providing funding for the project in conference negotiations between the House and Senate, according to reports. The House provided $45 million for Yucca Mountain in its version of the bill, and Kirk is now asking other Senators to join him in a letter that calls for the House funding level.

Kirk’s announcement comes following strong opposition for Yucca funding from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the introduction of Heller’s amendment. Heller said in a statement, “Taxpayers’ dollars would be better spent towards securing safe and viable alternatives for the long-term storage of nuclear waste. This amendment adds an extra layer of protection from any Congressional efforts to re-open what I already consider a closed issue. I will continue to work with other members of the Nevada delegation to make sure that Yucca Mountain is not used as a nuclear waste dump.”

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