ANS Recognizes Federal Support for Nuclear Energy

On October 16, ANS sent a letter of gratitude to the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development House Committee on Appropriations for their approval of robust funding for nuclear energy in fiscal year 2019. The letter also urges the committee to take up waste issues in the next session of Congress.

A full copy of the letter is copied below.

Dear Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Feinstein, Chairman Simpson, and Ranking Member Kaptur:

I write on behalf of the over 11,000 men and women of the American Nuclear Society and the entire nuclear community to express our gratitude for including robust funding levels for nuclear energy, science, and technology in the FY 2019 Energy and Water appropriations bill.

The American Nuclear Society appreciates the thoughtful and deliberate manner in which the House and Senate Subcommittees on Energy and Water Development have historically approached nuclear-related funding and policy issues. The FY 2019 Energy and Water Appropriations legislation is no different. We are particularly pleased to see the Subcommittees’ support for nuclear energy research and development across a variety of Office of Nuclear Energy programs. The Integrated University Program, the Reactor Concepts program, and the Fuel Cycle research program are all vital to maintaining and expanding U.S. global leadership in nuclear technology.

We would also like to encourage you to tackle the issue of nuclear waste in the next appropriations cycle. ANS supports the expeditious completion of the Yucca Mountain licensing process in an open, technically-sound manner, regardless of whether a repository is ultimately constructed. Completing Yucca Mountain licensing is fundamental to demonstrating the efficacy of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s licensing process as a whole. Additionally, ANS supports funding for consolidated interim storage, which would help address the government’s liability for failing to remove used fuel. It is time for Congress to address the issue of nuclear waste, and appropriated funding is necessary to move forward. We hope the Subcommittees will be able to work in a bipartisan manner to take action on this issue in the next Congress.

Thank you for your consistent and strong support for nuclear energy. The nuclear scientists and engineers of the American Nuclear Society are grateful for the work you have done on their behalf.

Sincerely,

John Kelly
American Nuclear Society
President