Reid Heller’s “informed obstructionist legislation” – S.1825

A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository. 114th Congress (2015-2016) 07-22-15

(Gary Duarte, USNEF) – Senators Reid and Heller have filed S.1825, as they continue to show they are out-of-touch with today’s nuclear technology and out-of-step with Nevada’s grassroots public. This bill reflects that of being “informed obstructionist legislation,” a bill representing politics rather than representing the public voice and the best interests of Nevadans. Reid’s individual politics and threats of retaliation have turned this national scientific study into a political disgrace.

The act states, Secretary of Energy must secure written consent from the governor of the host state . . . In respect to such important national legislation, consent should only be negotiated after the “host state” establishes and conducts a public referendum vote through the complete legislative process of the “grassroots citizens”. This is the PUBLIC VOICE. Many state governments, as with federal government agencies are running via their OWN commission and NOT the “PUBLIC VOICE of the People.” This would provide a public educational platform for both sides of the issue for assessment.

These are the facts the grassroots should know about Yucca Mountain: a thirty-year study by eight (8) national laboratories, input and review from more than 100 US colleges and universities an investment into the study of more than $10 Billion. The license application was reviewed by more than 200 scientists and engineers at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with no disqualifying elements found. What are Harry Reid and Dean Heller’s scientific qualifications that make them more capable of determining repository safety than our national labs, colleges and NRC experts? They are not qualified and it is time for Congress, the Senate, and Nevada’s public to Trump and tromp this foolish bill proposal and tell the Senators to terminate their political antics.

Nevada and its citizens should seek to understand the science and technology committed to Yucca Mountain and use that understanding as a platform to negotiate for an economic business asset for its citizens. Continuing to obstruct the law and the science is not in the best interests of Nevada or the country and we are thankful that some of our presidential candidates understand this and are willing to continue the Yucca Mountain dialogue.

Mr. Duarte is the Director of US Nuclear Energy Foundation (USNEF), a non-profit Nevada Corporation educating grassroots Nevada about nuclear energy technology and the Yucca Mountain Project. To know more about USNEF, visit www.USNuclearEnergy.org.