Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) tried to intervene this week as a means of getting a representative from the Nevada Office for Nuclear Projects onto the House Energy and Commerce Committee tour of the Yucca Mountain site, according to a letter he sent to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. Heller requested that Moniz grant an additional spot for the Nevada representative to attend the tour, which is scheduled for today, after tour-organizer Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) said that all the spots were filled, rejecting the state’s offer to send a geologist to address the alleged technical problems at the site. “Given that in his letter, Chairman Shimkus stated that he was eager to discuss this issue with the state and underscored the importance of a constructive dialogue between the federal, state, local, and tribal stakeholders, this request would seem consistent with the goals of his visit,” Heller said in the April 7 letter to Moniz. “As such, I request that the Department allow Chairman Shimkus to add a representative from the state of Nevada to the itinerary.”
DOE, for its part, said it was conducting the tour at Shimkus’ behest, meaning he decides who can attend and who cannot attend. “As part of hosting a tour of the Yucca Mountain facility at the request of the House Energy and Commerce Environment and Economy Subcommittee, the Department of Energy has accommodated all requests for participants made by the Subcommittee; including Members of Congress, Congressional and Committee staff, and press,” a DOE spokesperson said yesterday. “The Department has not received a request from the Subcommittee to include a participant representing the State of Nevada. As the Committee with jurisdiction over DOE having requested the tour, the Department will fully consider and attempt to accommodate any additional requests from the Subcommittee for the upcoming tour.”
Jobs