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Industry Encouraged by Senators’ Effort to Find Common Ground on Used Nuclear Fuel Management

By Eric McErlain
Earlier today the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee'’s Energy and Water Development Subcommittee today approved a fiscal year 2007 appropriations measure that includes provisions addressing the Department of Energy'’s nuclear waste management program. The following is a statement from the Nuclear Energy Institute's president and chief executive officer, Frank L. "“Skip"” Bowman:
"“The industry has yet to fully review the nuclear waste-related provisions contained in the markup of the fiscal 2007 energy and water development appropriations bill.

"“However, the specifics of the bill aside, it is tremendously encouraging that Chairman Domenici and Senate Minority Leader Reid are working to find common ground with the potential to advance the federal government'’s program for managing used nuclear fuel. It is very important to industry that, in addition to this new proposal, the legislation fully fund the Yucca Mountain repository program.

"“Nuclear energy is vital to our nation'’s long-term energy security. The sooner that the federal government begins meeting its obligations under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the greater the prospects that America can maximize the myriad benefits that we derive from this clean, reliable energy source.

"“We commend Senators Domenici and Reid for their willingness to propose innovative concepts that have the potential to effectively address longstanding delays in the government'’s used nuclear fuel management program. We look forward to studying these provisions further and working with interested parties -- —including Congress, governors and state utility commissioners -- —to ensure that the federal government meets its obligation to accept used fuel as it was supposed to have begun doing in 1998."”
Here's an AP account of the story. And click here for the press release from Senate Energy and Natural Resources.

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