THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY GODSHALL, CUTLER, EVERETT, KOTIK, MARSHALL, MILLARD, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, SAYLOR AND SWANGER, JUNE 4, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 4, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Memorializing the President and the Congress of the United

States to provide for the storage of used nuclear fuel.

WHEREAS, Nuclear utility ratepayers throughout the United

States have contributed more than $37,000,000,000 in fees and

interest, as mandated by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982,

for the purpose of removing used nuclear fuel from commercial

reactor sites; and

WHEREAS, Nuclear utility ratepayers in this Commonwealth have

contributed more than $3,200,000,000 in fees and interest to the

Nuclear Waste Fund; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Government has failed to satisfy the

statutory requirement in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to

begin accepting used nuclear fuel in 1998 and has failed to meet

the terms of its contracts with United States nuclear plant

operators; and

WHEREAS, The 104 operating commercial reactors in the United

States have accumulated more than 67,000 metric tons of used

nuclear fuel which is stored at plant sites, including 6,000

metric tons stored at five sites within this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The current administration and Congress have

terminated funding of all activities related to the license

review or further development of a permanent central disposal

repository at the Yucca Mountain Project in Nevada, which has

been the Federal Government's only intended destination for used

commercial nuclear fuel; and

WHEREAS, There are lawsuits pending to attempt to compel the

Federal Government to meet its obligations under the Nuclear

Waste Policy Act of 1982; and

WHEREAS, In January 2010, the current administration

appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future

comprised of distinguished American scientists and nuclear

policymakers to review various alternative options and make

recommendations for future safe management of United States

commercial used nuclear fuel; and

WHEREAS, The Blue Ribbon Commission has recommended an

integrated nuclear fuel management program incorporating all of

the following:

(1)  The development of one or more Nuclear Regulatory

Commission-licensed private or government-owned centralized

interim storage facilities in communities in states that

would willingly host the facilities.

(2)  Continued public and private sector research,

development and deployment of used fuel and nuclear waste

recycling technologies to close the nuclear fuel cycle in a

safe, environmentally responsible, proliferation-resistant

and economically viable process.

(3)  Assured access by the nuclear fuel management

program to revenues generated by consumers through continued

payments and to existing balances in the Nuclear Waste Fund;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the

President and the Congress of the United States to do all of the

following:

(1)  Adopt legislation enabling the construction of one

or more centralized interim nuclear fuel storage facilities

through directives to the United States Department of Energy

and through incentives to interested communities funded by

the accumulated Nuclear Waste Fund.

(2)  Recognize that there are communities that are

willing to host centralized fuel storage facilities and

states that are ready to voluntarily accept used fuel.

(3)  Assure access by the nuclear fuel management program

to revenues generated by consumers' continuing fee payments

and to the significant balance in the Nuclear Waste Fund or,

in the alternative, refund payments and interest to nuclear

utility ratepayers.

(4)  Enable one or more Nuclear Regulatory Commission-

licensed private interim storage facilities to meet this

public policy need in the United States;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the President, presiding officers of each house of Congress and

to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.