Statement by Dean Heller on Yucca Mountain:
As Policy Chair of the Western Caucus, U.S. Congressman Dean Heller (R-NV) inserted provisions to keep Yucca Mountain out of the Republican comprehensive energy bill, the American Energy Innovation Act. Heller brought conservatives and western members together to promote a comprehensive energy strategy while ensuring Nevada does not become the nation's nuclear waste dump.
"Our nation needs a comprehensive energy plan that promotes conservation, renewable energy development, and access to our own natural resources. We need energy legislation that will create jobs and ensure long-term energy security for our country. This can be achieved without dumping our nation's nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. The fact that we can bring together different factions of the Republican conference to agreement on this provision should take the partisanship out of the Yucca Mountain debate," said Heller.
The American Energy Innovation Act was developed jointly with the Western Caucus and the Republican Study Committee. The exclusion of the Yucca Mountain Project in the Republican energy bill is a significant victory for the State of Nevada. Yucca provision as included in the American Energy Innovation Act is below.
SEC. 3214. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS
None of the funds authorized by this Act may be used
to improve or build any temporary storage or spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste disposal facility in a State previously recommended for repository development under Public Law 97-425 as amended.