Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) announced the formation of their Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan group of House members who will drive progress on the safe storage, transportation, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel across the country.
There are approximately 80 locations in 34 states across the country where spent nuclear fuel is stored after it is removed from a commercial nuclear reactor. Additionally, 25 of these sites are co-located with nuclear power plants that are no longer in use, some of which have even been completely dismantled. The current system of spent nuclear fuel storage is not sustainable, particularly for sites that no longer have operating reactors and could be redeveloped for other beneficial uses. It is also a violation of the promise, codified decades ago, that the federal government would take title to the waste in return for ratepayers’ contributions to the Nuclear Waste Fund.
The Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus seeks to address the challenges associated with stranded commercial spent fuel across the country. It is a forum for Members who care about solving all commercial spent fuel issues, where Members can come together to make progress regardless of whether or not they have a preferred solution.
“It is my great hope that this Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus will serve as a foundation and conversational starting point for other Members, like myself, who care deeply about solving commercial spent fuel issues on behalf of our constituents, the nation, and our planet,” said Rep. Levin. “I am optimistic that with support from this caucus, we can make strides in finally getting the waste at San Onofre, an issue that has plagued my district for years, off our coast as quickly and safely as possible.”
“I support an all-of-the-above approach to energy. A critical part of that is nuclear power and addressing the full lifecycle of nuclear, which includes finding a long-term storage solution for spent nuclear fuel,” said Rep. Davis. “There are dozens of locations across the country, including the Clinton Power Station in DeWitt County, that store spent nuclear fuel. In many of those locations, long-term storage is not feasible, which adds to the urgency of finding a long-term storage solution. This is about protecting public safety and ensuring the viability of nuclear power stations in the communities they serve, including Clinton. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleague Congressman Mike Levin in forming the Spent Nuclear Fuels Solution Caucus. It’s our hope that this bipartisan caucus serves as a starting point to finding a solution to this very important issue.”
Other members of the bipartisan Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus include Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Michelle Steel (R-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Mondaire Jones (D-NY), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
