Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after Energy Secretary Rick Perry stated in an interview that President Trump and his Administration will continue to support the failed Yucca Mountain project that has cost American taxpayers $19 billion and threatened to put a nuclear waste dump in Nevadans backyards.
“On Saturday President Trump made a promise to Nevadans that his Administration would end their policy of supporting the failed Yucca Mountain project. Secretary Perry’s comments show that the President has lied to the people of Nevada. There is bipartisan consensus that Yucca Mountain is bad for Nevada’s future – more than 70% of Nevadans strongly oppose the project. It’s time for this President to keep his promise.”
BACKGROUND:
Earlier this week, Senator Cortez Masto sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and Energy Secretary Rick Perry calling on them to honor President Trump’s promise to Nevadans that he would support consent based siting and ensure that the Yucca Mountain project no longer continued forward.