Rep. Mike Levin’s Statement on the Supreme Court’s Spent Nuclear Fuel Ruling
Washington, D.C.–Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in NRC v. Texas, which concerned the temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling on the issue of spent nuclear fuel underscores the need for Congressional action. While I appreciate the Court’s decision to uphold the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s authority to license storage facilities, this decision is not sufficient to advance efforts addressing the broader societal challenges of spent nuclear fuel.
“As the current Administration seeks to unleash a nuclear renaissance, there remains no solution the back end of the fuel cycle—both existing and future. With or without the Administration’s efforts, our nation already has 90,000 metric tons and growing of spent nuclear fuel with no permanent management plan.
“Congress must act to pave the way for the successful siting and community acceptance of storage and disposal facilities. We must end a top-down approach to spent nuclear fuel and pass legislation – like my bipartisan Nuclear Waste Administration Act – to empower negotiations between all levels of government. I will not stop until the job is done.”
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