WASHINGTON, D.C., June
16, 1999—The following is a
statement by John Kane, NEI vice president for governmental
affairs, on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee's 14-6 vote today to approve S. 608, the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act of 1999.
"The nuclear
energy industry applauds Senator Murkowski and the Energy
Committee for their creativity and leadership in developing a
measured, streamlined approach that deservedly received
bipartisan support.
"Continued
federal inaction in safely isolating used nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste from defense programs is not
acceptable. Nuclear energy provides one-fifth of U.S.
electricity needs, and safe, effective management of used fuel
will help enable the nation to maximize the economic and
environmental benefits from this emission-free technology.
"With Democrats
and Republicans endorsing this legislative compromise, we are
moving in the right direction to address one of the nation's
top environmental challenges."
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The Nuclear
Energy Institute is the nuclear energy industry's
Washington-based policy organization.
