Minnesota Legislature
SF 2237
as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
Current Version - as introduced
1.1A resolution
1.2memorializing Congress regarding nuclear waste storage.
1.3WHEREAS, nuclear powered electric generating facilities are located in Minnesota at
1.4Monticello and Red Wing; and
1.5WHEREAS, spent nuclear fuel is currently being stored in dry casks only 600 yards from
1.6the Prairie Island Indian Community; and
1.7WHEREAS, dry cask storage will be required to continue to operate the Monticello nuclear
1.8plant after the expiration of its current license; and
1.9WHEREAS, continued storage of spent nuclear fuel in dry casks at Prairie Island and
1.10Monticello is not in the best interests of the citizens of Minnesota; and
1.11WHEREAS, in 1982, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) established policy that the
1.12federal government is responsible for safe, permanent disposal in a geologic repository of all
1.13high-level radioactive waste, including spent nuclear fuel from commercial power reactors; and
1.14WHEREAS, the 109th Congress failed to enact a budget for the nuclear waste disposal
1.15program for the current fiscal year and took no action on proposed legislation to reform the
1.16Nuclear Waste Fund to provide more reliable financing of the repository program; and
1.17WHEREAS, the Federal Accountability for Nuclear Waste Storage Act of 2007 (S. 784)
1.18has been introduced in this Congress requiring the federal government to assume legal ownership
1.19of all spent nuclear fuel in the country and providing for the transfer of nuclear waste to dry casks
1.20on the site of nuclear generating facilities; and
2.1WHEREAS, the Department of Energy (DOE) now indicates that in order to begin
2.2repository waste disposal no sooner than 2017, 19 years past the NWPA statutory mandate,
2.3DOE will need to submit a construction application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by
2.4June 2008; and
2.5WHEREAS, in order to meet the 2008 license application milestone, the president's budget
2.6for fiscal year 2008 requests $202.5 million from the Nuclear Waste Fund and $292 million from
2.7the Defense Waste Fund; NOW, THEREFORE,
2.8BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it hereby urges the
2.9United States Congress to fully appropriate the $494.5 million budget request for the civilian
2.10radioactive waste management program.
2.11BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress should enact legislation that will enable
2.12repository appropriations to match annual Nuclear Waste Fund fee revenue with any surplus
2.13being assured for future availability.
2.14BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota opposes S.
2.15784 and any proposal for the federal government to take title to spent nuclear fuel in this state if
2.16the effect of such an action would be to assure that spent nuclear fuel would be kept in Minnesota.
2.17BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is
2.18directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President and the Secretary of
2.19the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives,
2.20and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.
1.2memorializing Congress regarding nuclear waste storage.
1.3WHEREAS, nuclear powered electric generating facilities are located in Minnesota at
1.4Monticello and Red Wing; and
1.5WHEREAS, spent nuclear fuel is currently being stored in dry casks only 600 yards from
1.6the Prairie Island Indian Community; and
1.7WHEREAS, dry cask storage will be required to continue to operate the Monticello nuclear
1.8plant after the expiration of its current license; and
1.9WHEREAS, continued storage of spent nuclear fuel in dry casks at Prairie Island and
1.10Monticello is not in the best interests of the citizens of Minnesota; and
1.11WHEREAS, in 1982, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) established policy that the
1.12federal government is responsible for safe, permanent disposal in a geologic repository of all
1.13high-level radioactive waste, including spent nuclear fuel from commercial power reactors; and
1.14WHEREAS, the 109th Congress failed to enact a budget for the nuclear waste disposal
1.15program for the current fiscal year and took no action on proposed legislation to reform the
1.16Nuclear Waste Fund to provide more reliable financing of the repository program; and
1.17WHEREAS, the Federal Accountability for Nuclear Waste Storage Act of 2007 (S. 784)
1.18has been introduced in this Congress requiring the federal government to assume legal ownership
1.19of all spent nuclear fuel in the country and providing for the transfer of nuclear waste to dry casks
1.20on the site of nuclear generating facilities; and
2.1WHEREAS, the Department of Energy (DOE) now indicates that in order to begin
2.2repository waste disposal no sooner than 2017, 19 years past the NWPA statutory mandate,
2.3DOE will need to submit a construction application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by
2.4June 2008; and
2.5WHEREAS, in order to meet the 2008 license application milestone, the president's budget
2.6for fiscal year 2008 requests $202.5 million from the Nuclear Waste Fund and $292 million from
2.7the Defense Waste Fund; NOW, THEREFORE,
2.8BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it hereby urges the
2.9United States Congress to fully appropriate the $494.5 million budget request for the civilian
2.10radioactive waste management program.
2.11BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress should enact legislation that will enable
2.12repository appropriations to match annual Nuclear Waste Fund fee revenue with any surplus
2.13being assured for future availability.
2.14BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota opposes S.
2.15784 and any proposal for the federal government to take title to spent nuclear fuel in this state if
2.16the effect of such an action would be to assure that spent nuclear fuel would be kept in Minnesota.
2.17BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is
2.18directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President and the Secretary of
2.19the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives,
2.20and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.