$100 Billion Yucca Dump Plan a Pile of Radioactive Pork

 

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today (September 12, 2008) responded to Republican plans to spend $100 billion on the Bush-McCain Yucca Mountain plan and the House GOP’s so-called “All of the Above” energy plan which would increase funding to turn Nevada into the nation’s nuclear waste dump.    

 

"Democrats want Nevada to be a leader in clean energy, Republicans want to make Nevada a trash can for the nuclear industry.  They have one goal -- dump, baby, dump -- and they cannot wait to get toxic radioactive waste to Nevada given the chance,” said Berkley. “If it was good enough for Alaska to say no thanks to the GOP's Bridge to Nowhere, why should Nevadans have to swallow $100 billion in radioactive pork called the Bush-McCain Yucca Mountain plan?”

 

 

 

“And when House Republicans say "All of the Above" on energy you can be sure that means billions more for Yucca Mountain and changes that will make it harder for Nevada to win its battle against becoming the nation’s nuclear dump,” Berkley said.

                  

The GOP legislation would increase funding for the Bush-McCain Yucca Mountain plan.  This change would limit the ability of Congress to control how much is spent each year on the dump, a tool that has allowed Nevada to slash the project’s budget in past years.

 

“A vote for this plan is a vote to strip our power in Congress to cut funding for the Bush-McCain Yucca Mountain plan and that will hurt Nevada’s fight to keep nuclear waste out of our home state,” said Berkley.

 

While House Republicans are focusing billions of dollars on their effort to turn Nevada into a nuclear dumping ground, Berkley is calling for those dollars to be used to increase investments in more clean, renewable energy.

 

“Spending $100 billion on Yucca Mountain is not going to save drivers one penny at the pump or create more solar, wind or geothermal energy in Nevada,” said Berkley.  “The Silver State can and should be an international leader in the use and production of clean energy from solar and geothermal sources, but under the GOP’s so-called ‘All of the Above’ plan, our role will be to serve as America’s nuclear garbage can.”

 

“Republicans have not only larded-up this bill with more radioactive pork for the nuclear industry, but they are also expecting families in Nevada and across the nation to sacrifice their health and safety in the name of bigger corporate profits and that is wrong.  Americans are demanding energy independence, not decades of toxic nuclear waste shipments barreling past their homes and businesses,” said Berkley.