During his remarks during a House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee budget hearing on Tuesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry continued his effort to revive the stalled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, but also suggested the Nevada National Security Site near Yucca Mountain could be used for interim storage of high-level nuclear waste in the short term.
Gov. Brian Sandoval and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., reacted angrily to that proposal
Sandoval accused Energy Secretary Rick Perry of “a complete blindside” in suggesting nuclear waste be dumped temporarily at the Nevada National Security Site outside of Yucca Mountain.
“The idea of storing high-level nuclear waste at the National Security Site is ill-conceived, irresponsible and likely illegal,” said Sandoval. “This is a prime example of federal overreach and Nevada will pursue every legal option at our disposal.”
Sandoval said that’s farther than even the most fervent Yucca Mountain advocates have gone.
“Today’s comments by Secretary Perry suggesting he would consider storage of high-level nuclear waste at the Nevada National Security Site come as a complete blindside and I view this as a total disregard and failure to honor the historical process,” he said.
Heller termed the comments at the House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee “irresponsible, reckless and show a blatant disregard for the state of Nevada.”
He said the only viable answer to the nuclear waste issue “is one that is rooted in consent and Nevada has said ‘no.’”