BERKLEY ALARMED BY RENEWED REPUBLICAN EFFORT TO REVIVE YUCCA MOUNTAIN

Highlights Flaws, Dump’s Danger in House Floor Speech

(November 30, 2010 -- Washington, D.C.)  Speaking from the House floor, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today expressed renewed concern over efforts by House Republican leaders to revive the failed Yucca Mountain Project.  Berkley’s complete remarks are below and video of her speech can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/shelleyberkley

"The incoming House leadership has signaled that they are once again resurrecting Yucca Mountain as a solution to this nation's nuclear waste problem.  This is the height of insanity.  Let me remind my colleagues on the other side that we’re talking about shipping 77,000 tons of lethal radioactive nuclear waste across 43 states to be buried in a hole in the Nevada desert where we have groundwater issues, seismic issues and volcanic activity and it’s 90 miles from a major population center of Las Vegas.  There are no EPA radiation standards.  There's no way to protect the shipments from terrorist attacks.  It requires millions of gallons of water.  We're in the desert -- there is no water.  We are in the middle of a drought.  This is a waste of taxpayers' money.  Let's bury this ridiculous idea and figure out what we're going to do with this nation's nuclear waste before we continue to produce more nuclear waste that we still don't know what to do with.  Let's forget this nonsense and figure out how this nation is going to become energy independent.  Nuclear is not the way to go."
 
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