Washington, D.C. – The Ranking Republican Member of the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11), today praised the decision of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (the “Board”) to deny the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) motion to withdraw the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository license application. 

“I am pleased to hear of today’s order by the Board denying DOE’s motion to withdraw the Yucca Mountain license application,” Frelinghuysen said.  “I have always supported Yucca Mountain and strongly oppose the Department’s unilateral decision to shut it down. I continue to believe it is in direct violation of Congressional intent and the will of the American people.  With today’s ruling, I urge the Department to immediately cease its obstruction of the Yucca Mountain license review and allow the project to move forward.”

Frelinghuysen noted that the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget request eliminated all funding for the license application.

“In light of today’s Board decision, I will work with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to reverse the Department’s irresponsible budget request.  It is vital to let good science determine the way forward, not partisan politics.”

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