New Jersey Congressman Tom MacArthur is calling for the federal government to open Nevada’s Yucca Mountain Repository to take in nuclear waste from 39 states. It comes on the heels of the recent shut down of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant in Lacey Township. Nevada’s U.S. Senators remain vehemently opposed to opening the site. Since there is no permanent nuclear waste storage site available, spent nuclear fuel will have to remain in Lacey.
Storing the waste means that Lacey residents may see their property taxes rise dramatically to cover the estimated $14 million dollars cost to secure the facility. MacArthur says it’s unfair for them to store the nuclear waste with no compensation from the federal government.
“The federal government appropriated nearly $100 billion to solve this problem nationally and money got spent in one state, Nevada, and there is no solution,” MacArthur said. “This shouldn’t be on the New Jersey taxpayer. This should be on the broad shoulders of the federal government.”
The House passed reforms earlier this year that would restore construction and funding to the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Repository in Nevada, while providing financial compensation to spent fuel storage facilities. MacArthur says it’s time for the Senate to act.
“The American tax payer has invested tens of billions of dollars in Yucca Mountain already. It was determined to be the best site of all of the sites the federal government considered. So, there’s no reason to overturn that. The fact that Yucca wasn’t put into service was pure politics.”
MacArthur believes if the new reforms passed the Senate, President Trump would sign them into law.