Changes in Yucca funding sought

Suzanne Struglinski

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 9:49 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department needs to secure more funding for the Yucca Mountain project to be fair to ratepayers supporting the project, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., told Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham Thursday.

The department wants Congress to change its budget rules so lawmakers can spend at least $750 million of the proposed nuclear waste storage site at Yucca without hurting other federal programs.

The department doesn't want the project to compete for funding through Congress. Instead, it wants to take the money directly from a fund for nuclear waste disposal without fighting in Congress for the money. Congress, so far, has denied the request.

Dingell said the department should go above and beyond its budget request and ask for the $14 billion in the fund, which is supported by nuclear utilities.

"You have to protect those funds or else they are going to be dissipated," Dingell said at a House and Energy Commerce Committee hearing Thursday. "Congress is willing to spend those monies for other purposes."

Dingell said he was concerned about the "hijacking" of money in the nuclear waste fund by the budget committee.

Abraham said at this point the department is only focusing on funds coming into the fund in the future. The department's proposal to change the budget has not moved through Congress so far, which leaves the project to fight for it share of federal money just like any other program.

Many members of Congress said it was unlikely the Energy Department would get its wishes to dip into the nuclear fund without competition. Nevada's congressional delegation has been against giving the department more money. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has routinely cut the budget.

Abraham said Thursday it is wrong that people pay money toward the Yucca project but not see it spent.

"We are going to work as hard as we can," Abraham said. "We recognize we'll have to work very hard in the Senate, but we are going to everything we can to make that happen. We think it's appropriate to fence that money off."