Mark Gordon: “I rise today in favor of H.R. 1270. Many Americans have a temporary nuclear storage site close to home. My own State of…”

“I rise today in favor of H.R. 1270. Many Americans have a temporary nuclear storage site close to home. My own State of Tennessee has a legacy of high level nuclear waste that is stored onsite. The nuclear weapons that were built in Oak Ridge helped this entire Nation win World War II and the Cold War. Now we have the opportunity through the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1997 to establish a central storage facility in an underpopulated area that would be easier, safer and more economical to monitor. I understand the concerns of my colleagues who oppose this bill. I know that no one wants a nuclear storage site in their backyard, but there is no magic wand that will make this waste go away. It is here, we have no choice but to deal with it. We need a solution to this growing problem, and the repository at the Yucca Mountain offers the best opportunity. The Southern Governor's Association took steps in this direction earlier this month by passing a resolution in favor of H.R. 1270. Additionally, we cannot ignore the fact that consumers have paid into the Nuclear Waste Fund to store this waste. TVA alone has expended over $20 million in additional funds because DOE has failed to take this waste. We must assure the public of the safety of any repository.”