Ninety-one members of Congress urged the Department of Energy on
Tuesday to immediately halt work to dismantle the Yucca Mountain, Nev.,
nuclear repository.
They signed onto a letter to Energy Secretary
Steven Chu written by
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and
Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash.
“We are deeply disappointed that the
department has overstepped its bounds and has ignored congressional
intent without peer review or proper scientific documentation in its
actions regarding Yucca Mountain,” the letter said.
Last week, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission legal panel ruled DOE
could not withdraw its NRC application to license Yucca Mountain as the
nation’s repository for used nuclear power fuel and high-level defense
waste. Hanford’s irradiated fuel and high-level waste processed at the
vitrification plant under construction have been expected to go to the
repository.
“We are deeply troubled that the department continues
to move forward with terminating the project regardless of this
decision,” the letter said.
The ruling was a clear statement that
DOE does not have the authority under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to
unilaterally terminate Yucca Mountain, the letter said. The act
designated Yucca Mountain as the site for a national repository, making
clear
Congress’ intent, it said.
The current administration has opposed
proceeding with the repository after Barack Obama told Nevada voters the
repository should not open as he campaigned for president. DOE also did
not ask for money in the proposed 2011 federal budget to proceed with
the repository and has moved to use money appropriated in the current
fiscal year for licensing Yucca Mountain to instead bring the repository
project to a close.
“We ask that you recognize the letter and
spirit of the law, honor the timeline set by the court and halt all
efforts to reprogram funds or terminate contracts related to Yucca
Mountain,” the letter said.
Earlier this year, Washington and
South Carolina and a group of Tri-City Community leaders filed suit in
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, questioning
whether the Obama administration had the legal right to terminate the
repository.
In May, the court denied a request by Washington state
to prohibit DOE from continuing shutdown activities while the case was
proceeding. However, the court has agreed to expedite the schedule for
arguments in the case, which will be heard Sept. 23.
DOE and
Nevada are expected to appeal the NRC legal panel ruling.
The
letter was signed by 24 senators, two of them Democrats, and 67
representatives, 12 of them Democrats. Washington leaders signing the
letter, in addition to Murray and Hastings, were Democratic Reps. Norm
Dicks, Jay Inslee and Rick Larsen
and Republican Reps. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and David Reichert.
Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, a Republican, also
signed.
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