Letter to the U.S. House Of Representatives Yucca Mountain (H.J. Res. 87)
To the Members of the United States House Of Representatives:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, urges you to support House Joint Resolution 87 (H.J. Res. 87), a resolution of approval for siting the nation's repository for spent nuclear material at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
Selection of Yucca Mountain is critical to both U.S. energy security and our national security. A repository is necessary to ensure the long-term viability of nuclear power, which generates 20 percent of electric power for American businesses and homeowners and is emission-free.
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to build a national repository for the management of spent nuclear fuel. To this end, consumers have committed $17 billion to the Nuclear Waste Fund from an ongoing fee on electricity generated by nuclear power, but no repository has been built. If the federal government fails to meet its obligation to build a repository, nuclear plants will eventually be forced to close operations, as on-site storage space is rapidly depleting.
Yucca Mountain is the most studied piece of real estate in the world. It has been considered as a possible nuclear waste repository for almost 20 years and, in 1987, Congress mandated that Yucca Mountain be the sole site for further study. Since that time, hundreds of studies have been completed, including analysis of climate, water flow, and site geology. These studies clearly demonstrate that Yucca Mountain is a suitable site.
Spent nuclear fuel can be transported safely to Yucca Mountain. In the past 40 years, more than 3,000 shipments of spent nuclear fuel have safely traveled 1.6 million miles on America's roads and rails, without a single release of radiation and without a single injury or illness from radiation. In fact, spent nuclear fuel will continue to travel our roads and rails whether Yucca Mountain is approved or not.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges you to vote for H.J. Res. 87, and may include votes on or in relation to H.J. Res. 87 in our annual How They Voted scorecard.
Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten
Executive Vice President, Government Affairs
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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