Posted on 06/11/2012 2:11:15 PM PDT by raptor22
Energy: A green administration blocks the safe storage of nuclear waste and refuses even to acknowledge nuclear power has a future. But after the GOP House votes to open a safe site, the nuclear debate has been reopened.
Actually "waste" is an inaccurate term for the spent nuclear fuel rods still accumulating at above-ground fuel storage sites around the country, many near major cities. Spent nuclear fuel is a renewable resource that, in generating energy after being reprocessed, emits no greenhouse gasses.
But wait, critics shout, what about Fukushima and Chernobyl?
Certainly Russian incompetence and Japanese carelessness produced tragic results.
But considering that these same critics claim fossil fuels are ushering in planetary doom via climate change, shouldn't a greenhouse gas-free power source be reconsidered, one that to this day continues to provide around 20% of our power and safely powers our aircraft carriers and submarines?
Even if we don't build another nuclear power plant, spent fuel rods from existing facilities will continue to accumulate.
The Obama administration and folks like Nevada Democrat Sen. Harry Reid — whose state is home to the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear storage site — don't want to have a safe storage facility, fearing it would usher in more nuclear plants.
By a vote of 326-81, including 98 Democrats, the House on Wednesday approved an amendment by Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2013. It allocates $10 million for salaries and expenses for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to complete the licensing process for Yucca Mountain, something that has been stopped dead in its tracks by the Obama administration.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...
Good luck with that.
as a former navy nuke, the choice is between “small is beautiful” and technology. I choose the latter.
the navy (once) had around 50 nuclear plants close to Yucca mountain.
If I’m not mistaken, I believe the DOE has been charging the nuclear power industry 1 mill/MWHR for many, many years now to pay for this facility.
IF they are refusing to do anything with it, perhaps the DOE should return the money so that consumers can get a rate decrease. /s
Back in the 80’s Yucca Mtn was competing against the BWIP (Basalt Waste Isolation Project) at the Hanford site. We had “No Bomb Factories” Brock Adams as our WA State Senator. He was successful in shutting down all BWIP site R&D as well as all of the plutonium processing at Hanford.
So all of the nuclear waste R&D $$$$ moves to Yucca and just about the time they are ready to approve and open the doors Reid pulls the old Uncle Sam fast one and says it is not viable either. We are talking tens of billions of wasted tax payer money on this sham Reid has pulled.
THORIUM is the future.
It did? Could you possibly be thinking of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory about 650 miles north, where Adm. Rickover developed nuclear sub propulsion? Or am I missing something major?
Thorium is a separate issue. I'm in favor of going ahead with that, too. "All of the above," to borrow a phrase.
well. could be
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