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Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
Tennessee is one of five Republican-led states volunteering to accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal partnership potentially worth billions of dollars to help develop nuclear power production.
The nonbinding agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), signed by Gov. Bill Lee and the Governors of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Idaho last week, would have these states host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus (NLIC) as part of a DOE project announced in January.
As part of the proposal, the DOE invited states to express their interest in hosting an NLIC to participate in the DOE’s mission to “modernize the nation’s full nuclear fuel cycle and strengthen America’s leadership in advanced nuclear energy.”
The DOE said the proposed NLICs will support “activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle, including fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing used nuclear fuel, and disposition of waste.” If built, the storage sites would fulfill a multi-decade effort to store over 95,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
Spent fuel is piling up, currently being stored at nuclear plants and former nuclear sites across the nation. New storage sites would theoretically move the radioactive material away from population centers, fault lines, and flood plains, and experts say the plan should help officials gain consent from communities which would host the repositories.
Alongside waste sites, the campuses could also host advanced reactor deployment, power generation, and data centers.
In exchange for hosting the sites, the federal department has said eligible projects could access federal loans worth billions, and that the campuses have potential to attract up to $50 billion in capital investments, generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenues, and create tens of thousands of jobs.
On Tuesday, Lee said that though it is outlined in the DOE proposal, he doesn’t know for sure that the feds are asking for a repository site and stated that Tennessee will only commit to the deal if it will balance economic benefits with environmental risks.
“This is a really big deal. I’m very excited about it. We should pursue it to the end,” Lee said. “But we have a lot of questions to ask about what the details look like before we make a decision.”
He also said he believes it’s too early to discuss potential site placements but did focus on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s significance and Tennessee’s historic rule in the nuclear industry.
“As the global epicenter of nuclear energy, Tennessee is honored to be selected as a finalist to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus,” the Governor stated. “Our state answered the call during the Manhattan Project and helped shape the course of history, and Tennessee stands ready once again to advance the safe, reliable energy solutions our nation depends on.”
But not all Tennessee officials are enthused about the potential NILCs. Democrat Senator Heidi Campbell has sent a four-page letter to Gov. Lee, asking for the disclosure the names of specific sites in consideration to host the program as Tennessee’s initial proposal to host NLICs redacted locations of proposed sites and other details.
She also requested that the administration let the General Assembly provide review and comment before any deal is officially made, saying that aside from implying the campus would likely be in the Oak Ridge area, the Lee administration has kept most of the details quiet, a choice with which she vehemently disagrees.
“You simply can’t make our state a nuclear dumping ground without public awareness, input, and participation,” her letter reads.
The Nashville Democrat has also criticized the announcement over social media, with one post expressing her concerns about Tennessee’ geography and how that might impact the state’s ability to store and manage the nuclear waste.
“Tennessee is offering to take the waste with NO preparation, and our state is dominated by karst geology: fractured limestone riddled with sinkholes, caves, underground streams, and fast-moving groundwater. Water doesn’t stay put here. It travels through cracks and conduits that can carry contamination long distances. That is exactly why karst terrain presents unique challenges for any proposal involving long-term hazardous waste storage,” she wrote.
And while Gov. Lee is the one who signed the nonbinding intent agreement, it will ultimately be Tennessee’s next governor who will be responsible for either backing out or overseeing the fulfillment of the project as Lee’s replacement will be chosen in just a few short months. So, Sen. Campbell and any other Tennesseans looking for the full story about the state’s nuclear future will have to petition a new leader to try and sate their curiosity.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
It NEEDS put in the desert.