Issa, Shimkus visit SONGS nuclear site, discuss nuclear storage outlook

U.S. Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and John Shimkus (R-IL) recently visited the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS) and held a press briefing on the future of nuclear waste storage under the new administration.

Shimkus is the Chairman of House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee for the Environment, which is responsible for nuclear waste management. The congressman toured the facility, observed decommissioning procedures, heard local concerns and talked about potential solutions to the nuclear waste problem.

“I appreciate Darrell inviting me to visit another one of those communities today, and for highlighting the local impact of the federal government’s unmet obligations,” Shimkus said. “This Congress I will continue to push for a comprehensive solution to nuclear waste management that would move spent nuclear fuel out of these communities in a timely manner and toward permanent disposal at Yucca Mountain, as decided by the federal government thirty years ago.”

Issa recently authored the Interim Consolidated Storage Act, which would enable the government to create an impermanent, consolidated nuclear waste storage site while a long-term solution, such as the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository, is found.

“Southern Californians have waited too long for the federal government to uphold their promise to take, and safely store, this nuclear material,” Issa said. “The time for delay is over.”

Currently, 3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste is being stored at the SONGS facility. There are approximately 120 other sites in the United States in a similar situation until the Yucca Mountain project is completed.