Cortez Masto presses energy secretary nominee on future of Yucca Mountain

Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to beryllium Secretary of Energy, testifies during a Senate Committee connected Energy and Natural Resources proceeding for his pending confirmation, connected Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, successful Washington. Photo by Rod Lamkey, Jr. / Associated Press

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., asked President-elect Donald Trump’s vigor caput nominee, Chris Wright, to admit the “failed Yucca Mountain task is unworkable,” during his confirmation proceeding today. 

He didn’t straight reason the statement.

“I asked Chris Wright to simply admit that Yucca Mountain is an unworkable project,” Cortez Masto wrote connected X aft doubly asking the fracking CEO the question. “He admitted that helium knows Nevadans are opposed to it, but helium inactive couldn’t bring himself to unopen the doorway connected utilizing our authorities arsenic a atomic dump. Well, Nevada’s presumption isn’t going to change.” 

Cortez Masto’s enactment of questioning comes arsenic members of the state’s legislature delegation are reattempting to walk authorities banning the operation of a imperishable atomic discarded repository astatine Yucca Mountain. 

Storing the nation’s radioactive discarded astatine a seismically and volcanically progressive tract successful Southern Nevada has consistently faced wide absorption successful Nevada.

“I’ve said for years that Washington shouldn’t person the unilateral authorization to marque decisions that volition interaction communities and the situation successful the Silver State for generations to come,” Cortez Masto said successful a statement. “Nevadans person made it clear, Yucca Mountain is dead. This authorities volition springiness section and Tribal leaders the spot astatine the array they merit successful decision-making astir atomic repositories successful their communities.” 

The Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act, which was reintroduced contiguous by each Nevada Democrats successful the U.S. House and Senate, dates to akin authorities from 2015 that was sponsored by Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., and the precocious U.S. Sen. Harry Reid. 

Titus said Nevada shouldn’t beryllium forced to judge atomic discarded for storage, fixed that the authorities doesn’t nutrient any. 

“Over much than 3 decades and astatine each measurement successful the process, the Yucca Mountain task has faltered due to the fact that Nevadans bash not privation atomic discarded stored successful our state,” Titus said successful a statement. “We indispensable codify this absorption into instrumentality to support the wellness and information of our communities and warrant a process that requires the consent of state, local, and tribal leaders.” 

Yucca Mountain has agelong been a sore spot betwixt Washington and Nevada, falling into a signifier of dying and being revived for decades. Trump, successful his archetypal term, had pitched implicit $100 cardinal for restarting the task until announcing successful February 2020 that helium would look for alternate solutions. 

“Nevada, I perceive you connected Yucca Mountain and my Administration volition RESPECT you! Congress and erstwhile Administrations person agelong failed to find lasting solutions,” Trump wrote connected societal media astatine the time. “My Administration is committed to exploring innovative approaches – I’m assured we tin get it done!”

The aboriginal of Yucca Mountain inactive remains unclear. 

Project 2025, the guidebook written for Trump’s 2nd term, calls for a revival. The president-elect denied affiliation with the Republican roadmap passim his run past year; though helium tapped respective contributors, similar “border czar” Tom Homan and Russell Vought, manager of the Office of Management and Budget. 

“I’m caller to politics, arsenic you tin spot and you’ll spot each time agelong today,” Wright said aft Cortez Masto asked him to hold the task was unworkable. “I deliberation that has been a wide grounds that Nevadans reason the project. I volition enactment with you and with senators crossed the state to find solutions for semipermanent disposal of atomic waste.” 

Wright appears to beryllium connected way for confirmation and has enactment from astatine slightest 1 Democrat. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., introduced Wright astatine the commencement of the hearing.