Letter to Honorable Lee Hamilton
Letter
Dear Congressman Hamilton and Lieutenant General Scowcroft:
I appreciate the extensive work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future on the future of spent nuclear fuel in our country and its plans to solicit public feedback on the draft report, including a meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota in October 2011. Please accept the following comments in response to the Blue Ribbon Commission's Draft Report to the Secretary of Energy regarding policies for managing the nuclear fuel.
As you may know, the Prairie Island Indian Community, located in my Congressional District near Red Wing, Minnesota, is the site of one of tow nuclear generating plants in the State of Minnesota. As such, I remain concerned about the lack of resolution regarding on-site storage of nuclear waste. I welcome the Commission's seven key recommendations that could serve as a framework for a long-term solution.
Specifically, I appreciate the Commission's acknowledgement that Department of Energy's (DOE) responsibility to manage nuclear waste is not working as intended and welcome the proposed establishment of a new federal corporation dedicated solely to implementing the waste management program. I also support the Commission's recommendation to ensure access to the funds nuclear utility ratepayers are providing for the purpose of nuclear waste management. A move to provide access to the Nuclear Waste Fund outside of the annual appropriations cycle would remove the politics and instability currently intertwined in the process. At the same time, I am disappointed that the Commission did not address affirmatively the issue of a long-term solution in terms of a specific site in the draft report.
While I appreciate the Commission's thorough review and recommendations on issues for the storage, processing, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and waste, I respectfully request a specific long-term site be included in the final report. Communities such as Prairie Island and the City of Red Wing need a viable site to which they can remove nuclear waste for the safety and security of their residents.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
John Kline
Member of Congress
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