Joe Baca: “I stand in opposition to H.J. Res. 87. We need a coherent national strategy dealing with nuclear waste, but this…”

“I stand in opposition to H.J. Res. 87. We need a coherent national strategy dealing with nuclear waste, but this decision is about local control. It is inappropriate for us to be micromanaging Nevada on something that is so important. We should allow the governor to do his job. He has decided that the Yucca Mountain proposal is too dangerous to pursue any further and we should not intervene in what is a State and local decision. I am also concerned about the issue, not just about the Members of Congress, but as neighbors of hundreds of thousands of people who could be harmed by the transportation of this through an accident that could occur. The Department of Energy may be way too tightlipped about the transportation routes that waste would travel across the country on its way to Yucca Mountain, but two things are certain. One, a very large percentage of the waste would travel through my district, the Inland Empire. Two, accidents will happen while transporting the spent nuclear fuel. If you look at the map, virtually all the rails and routes would be used through San Bernardino County, California, my home. Half of the country saw Spiderman this weekend. Well, we are in the center of a nuclear transportation web. The thought of it makes me angry. The thought of it scares me, and it should scare my colleagues on both sides of the aisle from the Inland Empire.”