William Bryan: “Mr. President, during the course of the debate on S. 1936, as it has resonated across this Chamber today and earlier, a…”

“Mr. President, during the course of the debate on S. 1936, as it has resonated across this Chamber today and earlier, a contention has been advanced that indeed S. 1936 is a much improved form of its predecessor, S. 1271, because it has been asserted that there is the full application of the National Environmental Policy Act, one of these very important pieces of legislation which earlier I had described as an essential part of the environmental protection fabric that protects all Americans. I invite my colleagues to read this bill, as I know they all have or will before casting their vote. Here is what it says about the National Environmental Policy Act, and particularly an environmental impact statement. It provides for an environmental impact statement. So far so good. Then it goes on to say: But the Secretary shall not consider the need for an interim storage facility, shall not consider the time of the initial availability of the interim storage, shall not consider any alternatives to the storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, shall not consider any alternatives to the site of the facility, shall not consider any alternatives to the design of the criteria. Mr. President, that is what an environmental impact statement is all about, to consider the range of options that may be available and to ascertain which of those may be the preferable course of action.”