Washington, D.C. – As debate begins in the senate this week on Yucca Mountain, Nevada Senators Harry Reid and Richard Bryan have secured a veto commitment from the White House on S.1287, The Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2000.

"Nevadans can stand proud today knowing that the President has put their health and safety above the bottom line of the nuclear utilities," Reid said. "The Republican sponsors of this bill have been desperately trying to find a way to weaken the proposed radiation standards for Yucca Mountain. The administration has seen right through this ploy and has refused to back down from vetoing any bill which does not give the EPA full authority to set these critical standards. Our job now is to make sure that we have the 34 votes needed to uphold a Presidential veto."

"Once again, I am very pleased that President Clinton has pledged to veto the dangerous and reckless nuclear waste legislation that is currently before the U.S. Senate," Senator Bryan stated. "This battle would be even more perilous without the President's and Vice President's unwavering opposition to undermining the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency and risking the health and safety of tens of thousands of Nevadans. To compromise the health and safety standards at the behest of the deep-pocketed nuclear power industry would not only set an alarming precedent, but in my opinion, would be truly absurd. It is my hope, that with the help of the President's veto we can end this nuclear nightmare."

On Tuesday, Senators voted to invoke cloture on the Yucca Mountain bill setting the stage for a vote on the legislation later in the week. In arguing against S.1287, Reid and Bryan have continued to attack the bill as an attempt to speed up the timetable for nuclear waste coming to Nevada as well as a move to weaken the radiation standards designed to protect Nevadans.

Under the bill now being debated, the EPA would not have full authority over setting the radiation standards. Without that provision, the Clinton Administration has stated that they will veto S.1287. If the bill passes and is then vetoed, Senators Reid and Bryan must secure a total of 34 votes to prevent the two-thirds majority needed to override a Presidential veto.

Statement of Administration Policy

(This Statement Has Been Coordinated By OMB With The Concerned Agencies.)

S. 1287 - Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2000 (Murkowski (R) Alaska)

The Administration has reviewed a February 4, 2000, manager's amendment to S. 1287 and understands that this amendment will be brought to the Senate floor. Unfortunately, this amendment undermines EPA's existing statutory authority to set standards to protect public health and the environment from radio active releases; therefore, it is unacceptable to the Administration. Although the amendment appears to allow EPA to exercise its existing authority to set appropriate radiation release standards for the Yucca Mountain repository, it will allow another entity to block EPA's authority until June 1, 2001. Consequently, if the February 4, 2000, manager's amendment to S. 1287 is approved by the Senate and a bill with these provisions is presented to the President, the President will veto the bill.

The bill also contains unrealistic and unworkable milestones; insufficient funding mechanisms to pay for both the Yucca Mountain scientific program and the "take title" provisions; and burdensome and unworkable transportation provisions that do not provide a commensurate improvement in safety.