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Chu says DOE to move forward on Yucca shutdown
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Energy has the legal authority to terminate the Yucca Mountain program over the protests of lawmakers who say DOE needs further permission from Congress, according to Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
"My general counsel has studied this matter closely and has advised me we do have the authority within the law to take the reprogramming actions we have planned," Chu said in a letter Friday, two days after he was challenged by members of a House energy subcommittee.
Chu further cited a decision by a Nuclear Regulatory Commission legal board to halt the licensing process for the proposed Nevada repository until the NRC can rule on a DOE request to withdraw the project entirely.
"In short, I do not believe we should spend money on a licensing process that has been suspended, especially given the administration's intention to pursue alternatives to Yucca Mountain," Chu said in the letter to Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., chairman of the House Appropriations energy and water subcommittee.
Chu's letter came after several subcommittee members challenged the Yucca Mountain shutdown at a hearing Wednesday, saying it went against Congress' direction when it passed a 2010 DOE spending bill, and also possibly violated other federal work force laws.
"I don't think you can do it unilaterally. You do have to have some statutory authority," Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., told Chu at the hearing. There was no immediate public reaction Monday to the secretary's letter.
In February, DOE Chief Financial Officer Steve Isakowitz told House and Senate leaders the department proposed to shift $115 million within the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management out of repository program accounts and into shutdown accounts.
"The department intends to dedicate the remaining funds available in fy (fiscal year) 2010 to bring the Yucca Mountain project to an orderly close," Isakowitz wrote in the letter obtained by The Energy Daily.
Shutdown activities, Isakowitz wrote, included "work force transition," cancellation of management contracts and office leases, archiving documents and preparing the repository site 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas for maintenance awaiting environmental restoration.
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
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If you support Yucca post your address her and I give a hundred dollars and then I take big dump in you back yard.
C'mon lets see you post you address! I got the money! Stand behind your word! If Yucca makes SO much sense then post you address so can poop on your land!
You people are unscrupulous, you worship money before anything! True Republicans!
@Colin, yet another string of generalities, falsehoods, and faulty logic. Let's take four:
"The President wants it closed." Since when can any President circumvent existing law just because he wants to? This applies to Presidents of any party.
"We had no say in the matter." False. Nevada had representation in Congress and multiple days in court. In our democratic republic, there are plenty of ways for the minority to have representation.
"No means no means no." Except when the law says Yes.
"It's a no brainer." If it's such a no brainer, why did Obama yank the license application before the NRC could rule? Surely they would have agreed, especially with Harry Reid's former science advisor now as chair.
You ignore the rule of law, and you have yet to post a comment to refute this.
Shut it down! Shut it down! Nevada is not a dump, if you think it is, then get the 'F' out of our State, spineless cowards!
States need to deal with their own waste!
One does not have to exercise all the powers one may have. Surely those that have worked on Yucca Mountain, those affected by its license withdrawal and scientists who have invested time in studying spent fuel disposal should receive a more systematic explanation for this decision. Here and there justifications are dribbled out by Secretary Chu. S. E. Vandenbosch
OPEN YUCCA MT AND CREATE JOBS BETTER YET LET THE PEOPLE OF NEVADA VOTE ON IT THIS IS OUR DECISION NOT ROTTON EVIL SOCIALIST HARRY REID. GOOD BYE HARRY COME NOVEMBER I KNOW YOU WILL BE OUT ON YOUR ASS!!!!