May 13

Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, is calling on the United States to launch a "5-year New Manhattan Project to put America firmly on the path to clean energy independence within a generation."

Alexander, R-Tenn., was speaking to scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in his home state. Oak Ridge played a key role in the original Manhattan Project, under which scientists secretly develop the atomic bomb during World War II.

"Instead of ending a war, the goal will be clean energy independence so that we can deal with rising gasoline prices, electricity prices, clean air, climate change and national security," Alexander said.

Energy independence is essential to prevent oil and natural gas rich nations from blackmailing the United States and the rest of the world, Alexander said.

The Tennessee senator outlined seven challenges for U.S. scientists: making plug-in electric cars and trucks commonplace, making carbon capture and storage a reality for coal-burning power plants, advancing solar power technology so it is cost competitive with fossil fuels, safely reprocessing and storing nuclear waste, making advanced biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline, advancing development of green buildings, and providing energy from fusion.

E-mail Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at bgeiselman@crain.com

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