Jeff Bingaman: “let me respond. I certainly agree with the Chairman's point that these Senators are greatly concerned about these sites…”

“let me respond. I certainly agree with the Chairman's point that these Senators are greatly concerned about these sites in their States. I compliment them for proposing and being able to get these amendments that they have gotten into this bill into the bill. I think they have done very good work in representing their States' interests. My point is that there are many other sites in this country which have an equal or perhaps an even greater claim to being excluded. We need to either put those sites in or take these sites out. That is the simple thrust of my amendment. Much of the waste that is concerning people at Savannah River, Oak Ridge, and Hanford--some of that waste will wind up in my State and not on an interim basis. Under the proposal for the WIPP site, that is a permanent repository for transuranic defense-related waste. These Senators are providing that they will not have to take any additional interim waste, and the plans are that much of the waste that they are now complaining about having been put in their States will in fact travel to my State of New Mexico in the future once the WIPP site is open. So I have great difficulty agreeing with them that their States should be excluded from possible consideration as a future interim site while my State should be included.”