Copyright 1999 Federal News Service, Inc.
Federal News Service
FEBRUARY 10, 1999, WEDNESDAY
SECTION: IN THE NEWS
LENGTH:
685 words
HEADLINE: PREPARED STATEMENT BY
TOM
BLILEY
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE (R-VA)
BEFORE THE HOUSE
COMMERCE COMMITTEE
ENERGY AND POWER SUBCOMMITTEE
BODY:
Mr. Chairman, I commend you for moving
forward aggressively on this issue early in our session. Finding a solution to
the problem of high- level nuclear waste is one of the most important challenges
facing this country, and therefore it is one of the most important priorities
for our Committee.
For the past half a century, nuclear energy has played a
major role in our lives, from ensuring our national security, to furthering the
frontiers of science, to providing us with a reliable source of electrical
power. Nationwide, nuclear energy is the source of approximately twenty percent
of the electricity generated in this country. Some states rely on nuclear power
even more -- in my home state of Virginia, 43 percent of the electrical power
generated comes from four nuclear units at the North Anna and Surry power
stations. Without a central repository for the permanent disposal of the
radioactive materials from these facilities, we are forced to provide temporary
on-site storage for these materials. The debate over nuclear waste is not just
about what to do with the products of past activities and operations -- it is
very much a debate about our future as well. Any significant reduction of our
current nuclear generating capacity, either due to an unwieldy licensing
procedure at the front end of the process or a bottleneck over the disposal of
spent fuel at the tail end of the process, will require us to replace that
existing generating capacity with some other source of power. It would be
difficult to replace the 20 percent of generating capacity that comes from
nuclear power. If we have to replace this power with fossil fuel sources, the
result will be added emissions. For both economic and environmental reasons, it
is vital that we take steps to preserve our existing nuclear generating
capacity.
Yet, despite the clear benefits we all enjoy from nuclear power, a
permanent solution for the spent reactor fuel and other high-level waste from
nuclear activities continues to evade our grasp. In the early 1980s, Congress
and the President made a commitment to the American people that the federal
government would construct a permanent underground repository for the disposal
of spent fuel and other high-level radioactive waste. The Department of Energy
was directed to begin acceptance of spent fuel at the end of January last year.
As we all know, the Department was unable to meet that 1998 deadline. While the
Department is making commendable technical progress on the Yucca
Mountain site, the current schedule would not allow for acceptance of
spent fuel until -- at the earliest -- the year 2010. That is over 12 years
behind schedule. It is not surprising that a number of utilities have brought
suit over this failure of the federal government to live up to its obligation.
And that is really why we are here today, Mr. Chairman. We are here to make
sure the federal government keeps the promise it made to the American people
back in 1982. We have to make sure that the utility ratepayers who have
deposited billions into the Nuclear Waste Fund get what they paid for -- timely
acceptance and disposal of the spent reactor fuel.
We should do nothing that
will slow down the Department's progress on the permanent repository at
Yucca Mountain. But if the permanent repository cannot be ready
until the year 2010, we urgently need to find an interim solution that will
allow DOE to begin acceptance of spent fuel at an earlier date. I believe that
H.R. 45 will meet that objective.
Mr. Chairman and members of this
Committee, let us build on the progress we made during the 105th Congress. H.R.
1270, a bill very similar to the one you are considering today, was passed by an
overwhelming bi-partisan majority of the House, and the Senate did likewise with
a similar bill. Now that the Department of Energy has completed a positive
viability assessment, we have all the more reason to move forward with this
legislation as soon as possible.
Mr. Chairman I appreciate your holding this
hearing today and look forward to the testimony of our witnesses"
END
LOAD-DATE: February 11, 1999
