“Time and time again, Congress has supported Yucca Mountain as the only option for a long–term nuclear storage site, and it has repeatedly and overwhelmingly rejected attempts to shut down the program,” said Simpson. “The American taxpayer has spent over $8 billion studying Yucca Mountain and is liable for billions more for breach of contract. During a time of record budget deficits, it is unconscionable that the NRC Chairman and DOE would waste billions of dollars of taxpayer money with no return on the investment.” Read more »

United States Congressmen Mike Simpson, Doc Hastings, and Paul Ryan sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Jeffrey Zients requesting a review of the decision taken by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Gregory Jaczko to shut down the review of the Department of Energy’s application for Yucca Mountain. Chairman Jaczko acted unilaterally to discontinue… Read more »

“The NRC has long maintained a reputation as an independent, apolitical regulatory and oversight body,” said Simpson. “It is unthinkable that its leadership would choose to play partisan politics by shutting down the Yucca Mountain license application in an effort to help one candidate in his election.” Read more »

Simpson began his questioning by stating, “I honestly don’t believe that anybody within the Department of Energy or here (in the Committee) believes that a good decision was made by shutting down Yucca Mountain.” He would later add after the hearing, “The simple truth is a campaign promise made between Senator Reid (NV) and President Obama is what now dictates this county’s long-term nuclear waste storage policy. Without a doubt, this Administration has chosen politics over science, and it has already cost billions of taxpayer dollars. Sadly, we do not yet know, and cannot estimate, the amount of taxpayer dollars that will be wasted because of this decision.” Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, today announced the inclusion of funding for the Idaho National Laboratory and the Idaho Cleanup Project as part of legislation funding the Department of Energy in Fiscal Year 2011.  This legislation was approved today by the Subcommittee. This legislation provides $174 million for the… Read more »

“I congratulate the Board for its commonsense finding,” said Simpson. “Congress has repeatedly shown its support for building a permanent nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain, and this decision is a first step to rejecting DOE’s misguided efforts to waste the billions of dollars and decades of work that have already been invested in the Yucca site.” Read more »

“I want to congratulate AREVA and the people of Eastern Idaho who have worked so hard to secure this loan guarantee and bring the Eagle Rock facility to our state,” said Simpson, a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the Department of Energy and the Loan Guarantee program. “Nuclear energy must play a strong role in our nation’s energy future and the Eagle Rock facility’s contribution to that future will be enormous.” Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson questioned the Department of Energy on nuclear energy and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as part of the Department’s FY2011 Budget Request. Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Pete Miller testified before the Energy and Water Subcommittee, of which Congressman Simpson is a member. Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson questioned Energy Secretary Steven Chu on DOE’s commitment to abide by the Idaho Settlement Agreement during an Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee hearing today. Read more »

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson advocated for a comprehensive national energy policy today during a hearing with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Salazar testified on the President’s FY2011 Department of Interior budget request before the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Simpson is Ranking Member. Simpson is a strong supporter of an “all-of-the above” energy policy that will make our country energy independent. Read more »