WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Department of Energy plans to move forward with the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus program, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) looks for clarity in the state’s role in the initiative.
During the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday hearing, the Utah senator stood firm in believing that the country needs to pursue more nuclear energy with his state wanting to be a first mover in the new resurgence. However, he said important questions need to be answered prior to Utah’s full commitment.
Utah is one of six states selected under DOE’s nuclear campus program. Despite the selection, Curtis said that Utah’s participation is “exploratory” and wants to ensure that the state’s collaboration with the federal government for the program comes to fruition.
“And I would say, and speaking somewhat on behalf of Utah, realizing that this really rests on the shoulders of our state leaders, we’re interested in this, but we don’t want to get in that position of looking around and saying, ‘Well, now what? Right,’ Curtis said. “We didn’t quite have all these answers before we jumped into this.”
Curtis asked Lake Barrett, chair of the American Nuclear Society’s Waste Policy Task Force, what protections should a state take in negotiating with the campuses, to which Barrett said that the state and private industry should be partners.
“Well, governors today, I think, are quite savvy in this,” Barrett said. “Clearly, as I think the governor from Wyoming said 30 some years ago, you’re dancing with the 800-pound gorilla here. So, the federal government. So, you need to protect yourself going forward. But there are ways to do that through contractual relationships.”
Nuclear Waste Storage Coalition Executive Director Katrina McMurrian offered the idea of DOE implementing a program plan, similar to an utility’s integrated resource plan, with the states. She said DOE could put together a multi-generational program plan for the states and engage with the states in how it would see fit there.
McMurrian also recommended that DOE set up an independent office to focus on waste management and the campus program, something that has been previously suggested before.
“Have them set up an independent office again that focuses strictly on these issues, so that you have a more direct line person to go to to have this engagement,” McMurrian said. “We’ve got great people at DOE now. I think it just would be nice to revert back to that plan that was set up in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to have a dedicated office to this. So again, that will facilitate the state’s engagement.”
While Curtis said Utah has shown much interest, he said federal safeguards are in place so that states do not get stuck with a scenario where they are left with a private program that results in “no jobs, no economic development, and everything else.”