Deal moves NRC selection ahead

Suzanne Struglinski

Monday, Oct. 6, 2003 | 10:52 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The White House will accept the nomination of Sen. Harry Reid's science adviser for a spot on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in exchange for Reid allowing dozens of other Bush nominees awaiting confirmation to move through the Senate, senate aides said.

Early last month Reid declared that he would hold pending executive branch nominees until the White House considered his aide Greg Jaczko, for the commission's open Democratic seat. The White House rejected, without explanation, Reid's recommendation of Jaczko's nomination in April.

But Senate aides say the White House and Reid worked out a deal through talks all of last week to nominate Jaczko and lift the holds.

Jaczko is expected to be nominated by the end of the year, after background checks have been completed.

Jack Finn, spokesman for Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said the senator "played a significant role" in getting the two parties together to work out the deal, and emphasized he has supported Jaczko all along.

The five-member commission ultimately will decide if the Energy Department can move forward with construction plans for the Yucca Mountain project, which is set to store 77,000 tons of nuclear waste about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The NRC also oversees the country's 103 nuclear power plants.

The Nevada delegation strongly opposes the site. Jaczko's work with Reid against the project last year has sparked conflict-of-interest grumblings among the project's supporters, who oppose his nomination.

The deal lifted the delay holding up dozens of Bush nominees for slots at the Energy, State and Homeland Security departments. The Senate quickly approved 19 on Friday afternoon and will possibly complete more when it reconvenes on Oct. 14.

A White House spokesman said he could not comment on the agreement or the process surrounding nominations.

Through the deal, Reid has also agreed to not block the nominations of Republican Gov. Mike Leavitt of Utah, who has been tapped by the White House to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, although other Democrats, including John Edwards of North Carolina, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, both who are also presidential contenders, among others, will still block Leavitt for other reasons.

Reid was unavailable for comment today, but in a prepared statement he said he appreciated the White House agreement to move forward with the nomination.

"Dr. Jaczko is an emminently qualified scientist with the policy experience necessary to serve on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission," Reid said in a statement. "The NRC is charged with protecting the public health and safety, and I am confident Greg will make that his top priority."

Jaczko has said his background as a congressional staffer and scientist would allow him to objectively evaluate the application for the project. He said his work has exposed him to many different viewpoints on the project so he could balance the scientific and policy issues involved.

But Mitch Singer, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nuclear industry's trade and lobbying association, said the group wants only a clear, unbiased commission. He said its opposition against Jaczko is not personal, but that the organization does not want anyone with any "preformed" opinions on the panel.

If approved, Jaczko would serve a five-year term.

Meanwhile, Bush nominated retired Navy Vice Adm. John Grossenbacher in July for the open Republican seat on the commission.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, of which Reid is a member, will conduct the nomination hearings but nothing has been scheduled at this point.