U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying his remarks in front of the Senate Energy and Water Subcommittee on Tuesday when he apparently called for an effort to revive the stalled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, and suggested the Nevada National Security Site near Yucca Mountain could be used for interim storage of high-level nuclear waste in the short term.
“No decisions have been made at this time with respect to the timing or location, for that matter, of waste storage,” said Perry in his statement. “There are no plans, I think it is appropriate to say, there are no plans at this particular time for interim storage in New Mexico, Nevada or Texas or any other site. Any such plans would obviously require coordination with (Congress), with the federal, state and local officials.”
Gov. Brian Sandoval issued the following statement in response: “I appreciate Secretary Perry clarifying his comments and agree the issue of nuclear waste is one that has vexed the nation. I encourage the secretary to pursue consent-based interim storage solutions, and to review Senate legislation, co-authored by Senator (Dean) Heller, that lays out a politically and scientifically viable plan for a long-term, consent-based, permanent solution.”