WASHINGTON, D.C.-(Effingham Radio)- – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Angus King (I-ME) led a letter cosigned by nine colleagues to Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies seeking additional federal resources to help communities struggling with the harmful impacts of stranded nuclear waste.
“Reactor communities nationwide have become de facto high-level radioactive waste storage sites and deserve compensation for the continued economic risks they accept for storing this hazardous substance,” the Senators wrote.
“Furthermore, although we are deeply committed to ensuring a long-term solution to the nation’s nuclear waste we understand those solutions will take time.”
“In the meantime, we believe it is critical that these communities are given resources in the immediate future that will help mitigate the ongoing negative impact nuclear waste is having on their communities.”
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also joined Duckworth and King in the letter.
Duckworth has previously pushed for economic relief to help communities struggling with the impacts of stranded nuclear waste.
Last year, Duckworth and Representative Schneider (IL-10)introduced the Sensible, Timely Relief for America’s Nuclear Districts’ Economic Development (STRANDED) Act, which would incentivize economic development and provide federal assistance to offset the economic impacts of stranded nuclear waste for the dozens of communities that are affected across the country – and the dozens more that will be stranded over the coming years.
Specifically, the legislation would provide 15 dollars for each kilogram of nuclear waste, revive an expired tax credit for first-time homebuyers purchasing a home in a community with stranded waste and include stranded nuclear waste communities to the existing New Markets credit eligibility.