In shuttering Yucca Mountain, Obama makes it extremely likely that nuclear power in the United States will continue its long, slow, and extremely welcome death.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
For nuclear power to have a future, we'll either need more Yucca Mountains or a way to decrease the stuff we put there.
Nuclear power is not a miracle key for the future.
We have every interest in seeing that the military use of nuclear power will be contained.
We as taxpayers have put in well over $12 to $15 billion of investment in a repository for high-level nuclear waste... if we're ever to recoup that investment in the future... then we're going to need some money to reopen Yucca Mountain.
I can assure you we are a responsible nuclear power.
If we're going to be serious about decarbonizing the bulk-power system, nuclear has to be part of the conversation.
We must not let ourselves be swept off our feet in horror at the danger of nuclear power. Nuclear power is not infinitely dangerous. It's just dangerous, much as coal mines, petrol repositories, fossil-fuel burning and wind turbines are dangerous.
While nothing is certain, I firmly believe our nation is on the verge of a nuclear energy renaissance.
Nuclear power is here to stay, and we need to support a strong domestic uranium industry.
Research and development activities to support Yucca are permitted. This will ensure that we keep Congress in the driver's seat for nuclear waste policy.