Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Bill introduced to abolish nuclear projects agency

CARSON CITY – State Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, has introduced a bill that could abolish the state agency charged with battling the Yucca Mountain project.

Senate Bill 117, prompted by the controversy over former Nuclear Projects Director Bob Loux’s giving himself and staff unauthorized raises, would place the program under the authority of the governor.

“It’s up to the interpretation” of the proposal whether it would do away with the Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects, Cegavske said. That was not her initial intention, she said, but “some say it does because it gives everything over to the governor.”

In his proposed budget, Gov. Jim Gibbons called for reducing the office from seven to two employees.

Gibbons did not ask Cegavske to introduce her bill, she said. Cegavske and former Sen. Bob Beers of Las Vegas came up with the idea, she said. The bill states that any employee of Nuclear Projects who loses his or her job would receive preference in getting another state job.

“I wasn’t happy with how it transpired,” said Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, referring to the Loux incident. “He did something that is totally wrong.”

Loux raised his own salary and that of his staff above the amounts approved by the Legislature. He resigned after the pay raises were discovered. A complaint has been filed against him with the state Ethics Commission.

The bill was referred to the Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee.

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