Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jeff Duncan (SC-03) visited Yucca Mountain, Nevada this past weekend to tour the long-term nuclear waste repository with several Members of Congress.
“The trip to Yucca Mountain was very informative and educational, and only strengthened my belief that it is the perfect site for long-term nuclear waste storage. If we can’t store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, then we can’t store it anywhere in the country, plain and simple. South Carolina ratepayers have paid over $1.3 billion in fees for the construction and operation of this site, and yet it is still incomplete and waiting for action by the federal government.
“Although it was long overdue, I am pleased that the House reaffirmed promises made to American ratepayers by voting on the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act in May. I will continue to urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the right thing by the American people and move forward with smart Yucca Mountain policy by sending this bill to President Trump’s desk.”
Background on Nuclear Storage Policy and Yucca Mountain:
• There is over 4,500 tons of spent nuclear fuel in temporary storage in South Carolina from commercial reactors.
• Ratepayers in South Carolina have paid $1.3 billion in fees ($40 billion nationwide) to construct and operate a long-term storage facility in Yucca Mountain.
• 121 sites around the country are currently holding nuclear waste, including Savannah River Site located in South Carolina.
• Despite the legal obligation in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and billions collected from Americans for several decades, no nuclear waste has been moved to Yucca Mountain.
• The House of Representatives passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act on May 10, 2018 with a bipartisan vote of 340-72. This bill holds the federal government accountable and reforms our nuclear waste policy to utilize Yucca Mountain for its intended purpose – a permanent geological repository for our nation’s nuclear waste.
• Click here to read more about the bill and here to view Congressman Duncan’s floor speech on the legislation.
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Congressman Duncan posted live updates from the Yucca Mountain site. Please visit his Facebook page to view these updates here.
