Washington briefs

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

Budget includes Nevada projects

WASHINGTON -- The House and Senate on Thursday sent to President Bush the final version of a $25 billion bill that sets a budget for federal energy and water projects nationwide.

The bill contains about $143 million for Nevada, including $30 million for continuing construction of flood control projects in two of the Las Vegas Valley's major washes.

It includes about $60 million for Nevada Test Site projects and activities in the state run by the Department of Energy and University and Community College System of Nevada. That money includes $10 million for anti-terrorism training at the Nevada Test Site.

The bill also contains a $375 million budget for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project run by the Department of Energy 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

That's about $16 million less than last year's Yucca budget.

Legislation aimed at protecting plants

WASHINGTON -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee this week moved to renew a federal government insurance plan that protects private nuclear power plants in the event of catastrophic accident.

The panel approved legislation called the Price-Anderson Act, which caps each nuclear power plant's liability in an accident at $200 million by pooling the nation's 103 plants. In the case of an accident at one plant, the other plants would chip in to pay for cleanup, up to about $9.5 billion. Taxpayers pay the rest of the tab for accidents that cost more than that.

Critics call the plan an unfair governement subsidy. But proponents say nuclear power companies will never build new nuclear power plants in America unless Congress renews the 44-year-old act, which expires in August.

The House committee voted to renew the act for 15 years. The full House could vote on the legislation as soon as next week.

The Senate has not acted on renewing the act.