House Committee Approves Levin Request for $25 Million in Appropriations to Expedite Removal of Spent Nuclear Fuel from SONGS and Other Decommissioning Plants
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) announced that the House Appropriations Committee approved $25 million in funding for a consolidated interim storage (CIS) program at the Department of Energy (DOE) to remove spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear power plant sites across the country, including the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
Last month, Representative Levin called on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development to include $25 million to support the development of a consolidated interim storage program at the Department of Energy, complete the necessary applications, and assist with site preparation activities and regional transportation efforts of spent nuclear fuel.
“I have said time and time again that the safest thing for my constituents is to move the nuclear waste at SONGS to a site that is not surrounded by millions of people and threatened by earthquakes and sea level rise,” said Representative Levin. “I am grateful to the Appropriations Committee for approving my funding request, which would expedite the removal of spent nuclear fuel from SONGS and other decommissioning nuclear plants across the country, and I hope that process can begin as quickly as possible.”
Specifically, Representative Levin requested $10 million for the initiation of a robust CIS program at DOE; $10 million for site preparation activities at Stranded Fuel sites preparing to move SNF to interim storage facilities; and $5 million to support DOE’s efforts to reinitiate Regional Transport compacts and transportation coordination. That funding is pending final enactment of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
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