Sam Gibbons: “early on in the 106th session of Congress, in the first few weeks, we have already seen a disastrous bill introduced to…”

“early on in the 106th session of Congress, in the first few weeks, we have already seen a disastrous bill introduced to establish a temporary nuclear waste storage facility in Nevada. Several problems, Mr. Speaker, become very evident when this legislation is examined. First, it is moving nuclear waste from 109 reactor sites, which would traverse 43 States and endanger the lives of every person along these routes. Also, the geologic suitability of the site is in question. In the last 20 years there have been more than 621 earthquakes within a 50-mile radius of the proposed site. The Congressional Budget Office estimates a central interim storage facility like this will cost $2.3 billion, seven times more expensive than expanding the current on-site storage at these power generating facilities. The facts demonstrate some of the major problems associated with this bill: the safety of every American, and the fleecing of every taxpayer in this country. Educating the American people on issues as important as this should be every Member's responsibility, because they are the ones who will be held responsible for the devastating impacts on their districts.”