Energy bill would keep Yucca open

Apr 19 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Anna Dolianitis Aiken Standard, S.C.

 

A bill introduced this month by U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) calls for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada to remain open.

The bill, H.R. 4301, aims to address the United States' energy demands through a free market "all-the-above" energy strategy that the nation so desperately needs, according to the congressman.

The Energy eXploration and Production to Achieve National Demand Act has been cosponsored by 19 others -- including all of the Republican congressmen in South Carolina. In addition to Yucca Mountain, it addresses energy issues from the Keystone XL Pipeline to reducing fines for energy producers whose operations accidentally kill non-endangered birds.

"America is one of the only countries in the world that refuses to develop its own natural resources," Duncan said Wednesday. "Not only will this bill help to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but it will also get the government out of the way, and let the private sector create hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs."

The EXPAND Act stipulates that the halted Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada remain open to begin receiving nuclear waste, stating that "Yucca Mountain is best suited for high levels of radioactivity with little threat of contamination.

The bill would also expedite permits for the approval process for Yucca Mountain, and would remove limits on what could be stored in the repository, pending Nuclear Regulatory Commission review.

The bill calls for approval of the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, as well as expediting the permitting process for non-nuclear energy sources that are located on federal land to be approved within 30 days unless it is objected against.

The bill suggests opening the Outer Continental Shelf, including the Gulf Coast, Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific for energy leases and permits to expand the U.S.' ability to explore energy sources. Additionally, the bill would allow for more oil and natural gas exploration and production of federally owned and controlled land.

The bill would also open three percent of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for production and eliminate ethanol mandates.

"My bill has already received strong support from a good cross section of the country," Duncan said. "When elected officials keep hearing from constituents that they are suffering from high gas prices, support will grown for an all-the-above, free market solution, like the EXPAND Act.

To view the full bill, click here.