Reid praises nuke industry, but pushes Yucca alternative

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, offered rare -- if lukewarm -- words of praise for the nuclear industry Monday.

Reid said there is likely to be a continued "movement" toward constructing more U.S. nuclear power plants, which the nuclear industry has been advocating in recent years.

Even environmentalists have acknowledged that "if it's done right" nuclear power can help protect the environment, Reid said at a Capitol press conference on energy issues.

Reid said that for years he has opposed nuclear power for one reason -- because the nation's plan for dealing with high-level nuclear waste was to permanently bury it at Yucca Mountain, which Nevada officials oppose. Reid has said Yucca will never become a reality, however. The program has long suffered budgetary, regulatory and legal setbacks.

"Yucca Mountain certainly isn't dead, but it's on a breathing machine," Reid said.

Reid said he will continue to push for an alternative to Yucca: leaving waste stored where it is on-site at nuclear plants, although nuclear industry officials say that plan is unacceptable.

"Yucca Mountain has been set back for decades, so I think we'll have to start looking for a different direction as far as nuclear waste goes," Reid said.

Reid has not changed his longtime stance on nuclear power, aides said. Reid has not been an advocate for nuclear power, but he has not opposed nuclear power in general -- just Yucca Mountain, Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said.

Reid made his remarks as the Senate was preparing to begin two weeks of debate today on an $11 billion energy bill. It lays out a comprehensive national plan aimed at raising domestic oil production, improving the electric grid and constructing a new generation of nuclear power plants.

Reid said Democrats intend to pursue legislation aimed at the goal of reducing dependence on foreign oil by 40 percent in 20 years. The goal can be met "without question," Reid said, although some Republicans have been skeptical. House Energy Committee Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, has questioned which segment of the U.S. economy was going to give up that much oil.

Reid said Democrats were planning to push for an amendment that offers permanent tax credits for renewable energy resources. The legislation would offer a 1.8 cent tax credit for every kilowatt hour of energy produced by solar and geothermal energy sources, which can be developed in Nevada, Reid noted. The credit is already available to wind energy development.

Critics of Democratic energy plans have said the nation needs a strong focus on oil, coal and gas production and cannot rely on conservation efforts, hybrid fuel cars and renewable energy sources alone to meet soaring energy needs.

The House approved an energy plan bill in April. Skirmishes are expected between the chambers on a number of issues, including offshore oil drilling, drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and over lawsuit protections for companies that make the MTBE gasoline additive.