Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3053. I thank Ranking Member Tonko and Chairman Shimkus for their hard work on this very difficult subject.

This is a bipartisan bill that seeks a solution on how to remove and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. This bill recognizes the need to consolidate interim storage in an integral waste management program.

H.R. 3053 authorizes the Department of Energy to either develop its own consolidated interim storage facility or contract with private entities for such development. The bill also authorizes the development of one pilot CIS facility that is not linked to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's decision on the Yucca Mountain license application, and provides a solution for nuclear waste stranded at sites without an operating reactor.

This bill will help us create a path toward permanent storage, while also being inclusive and transparent about the process. One of the key additions to this bill is that it will reestablish the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. It also increases assistance to States and tribes for transportation safety, which is important when transporting radioactive materials.

Mr. Chairman, we cannot continue to put our heads in the sand about nuclear waste. There are about 120 sites across the country that store nuclear waste on a so-called temporary basis. With this situation, a serious accident is virtually inevitable. Nuclear waste can be transported and stored safely for the generations needed. This is really an engineering problem, and America has some of the best engineers in the world. We can do this.

H.R. 3053 is an important step toward safe storage, and I urge my colleagues to support this well-crafted legislation.

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