Image Credit: Kelly Keisling – State Representative Facebook & Canva.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Republican State Rep. Kelly Keisling has joined two other Tennessee lawmakers in writing Governor Bill Lee with concerns about the nuclear waste storage under the state’s proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus (NILC).
Nuclear waste storage would come as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to have several states host NILCs and help “modernize the nation’s full nuclear fuel cycle and strengthen America’s leadership in advanced nuclear energy.” The campuses could also host advanced reactor deployment, power generation, and data centers.
While no location for the site has been formally announced, Gov. Lee has made mention of the Oak Ridge Laboratory, which has a long history with the nuclear industry. But Lee also recently identified additional potential areas outside the Oak Ridge campus which may be geologically and seismically suitable for a repository, depending on site assessments.
In response, Rep. Keisling, whose district includes Pickett, Scott, and part of Fentress Counties wrote to Gov. Lee asking him to remove those counties from consideration.
“These communities should not be viewed simply as suitable locations on a map because of their geology, available land, or proximity to existing nuclear infrastructure,” Keisling said. “They are home to families, businesses, communities, natural resources, as well as a way of life that deserves to be protected.”
But the lawmaker clarified that he is still supportive of Tennessee’s leadership in nuclear energy. “I recognize the tremendous economic and national security opportunities associated with the proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus. I am grateful for your leadership and your administration’s efforts to position Tennessee as a national leader in nuclear innovation,” he wrote to the governor. “Tennessee can, and should, lead the nation in nuclear innovation without requiring Pickett, Scott or Fentress Counties to bear that long-term responsibility.”
He is also encouraging “transparency and community participation before any additional sites are advanced for consideration.”
Keisling joins fellow Republican Rep. Ed Butler and Democrat Sen. Heidi Campbell in asking for further clarification and consideration about the storage of the nuclear waste. Campbell is pushing for public input and legislative oversight of the deal alongside geographical concerns while Butler expressed support for nuclear investment but opposed nuclear waste storage in his district or in the state as a whole.
But while Gov. Lee is the one who signed the nonbinding intent agreement with the DOE, it will ultimately be Tennessee’s next governor, set to be elected in just a couple months, who will be responsible for either backing out or overseeing the fulfillment of the project.
So, lawmakers and other Tennesseans with concerns about the program or long-term waste storage will need to factor in who will be leading the state through the selection of a possible site and if they will take these concerns into consideration.
Sources:
TennesseeConservativeNews.com.
WATE.
TennesseeConservativeNews.com.
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.
