Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) issued the following statement in response to draft legislation that would revive the Yucca Mountain project.
“Nevadans have spoken: We don’t want nuclear waste dumped in our backyards. Congress must respect our will and ensure states have a voice when the federal government tries to store nuclear waste within their borders. This half-hatched proposal to trample on Nevada’s rights and revive Yucca Mountain poses a danger to families living in neighboring communities, as scientists have already confirmed Yucca Mountain is unsafe and unfit for nuclear waste storage. We strongly oppose any effort to restart Yucca Mountain and call on our colleagues in the Senate to do the same.”
BACKGROUND
In March, Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen introduced legislation to ensure Nevadans have a voice in any plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. The Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act requires the consent of the Governor, affected local governments and impacted local tribes in order to spend money from the Nuclear Waste Fund for the construction of a nuclear waste repository.