In his first site visit as energy secretary, Rick Perry on Monday toured the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository site and afterward met with Gov. Brian Sandoval, a fierce opponent of reviving the project.
The state and federal governments are gearing up for potential resumption of licensing activities with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the mothballed facility, which the Obama administration abandoned in 2009. The Trump administration in its preliminary fiscal 2018 budget proposal included $120 million to restart adjudication proceedings with the NRC, as well as to support a “robust” interim storage program for nuclear waste.
Sandoval has long called on DOE to permanently end efforts at Yucca Mountain, citing relentless opposition from state officials and residents. Last week, Sandoval and Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt endorsed a legislative resolution reaffirming the state’s opposition to storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.
“Governor Sandoval and I had a frank and productive conversation, where he expressed his appreciation for my visit and reiterated his opposition to the proposed project. We have worked on a variety of subjects over the years. I value his friendship, leadership and look forward to staying in contact on this and other issues in the years ahead,” Perry said in prepared comments Monday evening. He said his meeting with Sandoval was the first in a series of talks on the matter with federal, state, local, and private stakeholders.
Perry, the former Republican governor of Texas, and Sandoval have had a working relationship for several years. Perry was mum during his Jan. 19 confirmation hearing when repeatedly questioned by Nevada lawmakers about his plans for Yucca Mountain; however, the White House’s budget proposal leaves little doubt of DOE’s intentions under Trump.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) criticized Perry on Monday for “visiting the site without informing members of the Nevada Congressional Delegation.” She noted that her office earlier this year invited administration officials to visit Nevada and hear why opponents object to the project.
“The Trump administration has yet to acknowledge the invitation or the fact that Nevadans do not want a project that has dangerous implications for the environment, economy, and security of the region,” she said. “Southern Nevada is not a wasteland, and I will continue to fight to protect it from becoming a dangerous dumping ground.”
