BILL WILL SEEK TO SET UP SEPARATE NUCLEAR WASTE AGENCY

Foremost in the efforts would be deciding what type of governmental agency could be created to take over nuclear waste efforts from the Department of Energy. In his remarks at the event, Bingaman said, “My first draft took the government corporation approach” to the new nuclear waste agency. But, “We have since considered other organizational structures that might be more effective and accountable.” The Blue Ribbon Commission recommended a new single-purpose organization outside DOE but within the federal government—a govcorp organization similar to the Tennessee Valley Authority—to handle the siting, construction and implementation of a repository for spent nuclear fuel. A committee aide told RW Monitor, "The legislation is very much still a working draft, circulating among the Senators who are editing, adding, and deleting provisions."

 

Bingaman and Murkowski both said they were supportive of the effort to include a pilot program for interim storage of spent fuel in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill. However, Bingaman said he believes, “the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations are best viewed as a comprehensive package of recommendations. They should be considered as a whole and enacted as a comprehensive and unified program." The outlook, though, is grim as far as moving a bill this year. "Passing any legislation this year is tough, and passing anything so controversial as a nuclear waste bill is not that likely in this Congress," Bingaman said. "Even if we were able to get a bill out of the Senate, the House seems more interested in continuing the fight over Yucca Mountain than implementing the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations. But perhaps we can lay at least the foundation for legislation in the next Congress, if we are not successful in getting legislation this Congress." Murkowski expressed frustration that "any possibility of advancing legislation to address the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle was effectively put on hold while the Blue Ribbon Commission conducted its review," but she said, "the government’s failure to address our nuclear waste issues is damaging to the development of future nuclear power and simultaneously worsening our nation’s financial situation. We need to act, and we need to act soon."