Public Meeting to Solicit Feedback on the Draft Commission Report - Atlanta, Georgia

Thanks for the work done in bringing forward several key recommendations to address the complex issues of nuclear waste disposal, storage and transportation. Although there are several recommendations requiring congressional actions, I do believe the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future must assure states and local governments are explicitly given a strong and non-reversible voice; not just with permitting and certification only, but with the absolute authority to approve or deny consideration prior to any selection of an interim or permanent site for storage and/or recycling within its jurisdiction. This authority must also extend to any transportation requirements involving the movement of hazardous nuclear waste within or across the state. If this can be accomplished on the front end without litigation then the work of the Commission can be realized sooner than later.

Long after the Commission has been dissolved, states with nuclear power production will and must continue to make their voices known before congress and the Department of Energy until the original contract is honored and fulfilled to remove spent nuclear fuel/high level nuclear waste from reactor sites. As of June 30, 2011 Georgia has contributed over 1 billion dollars (cumulative) and yet there is no creditable timetable for fuel removal.

The Blue Ribbon Commission is nearing its end but the resolution to these complex issues have yet to begin. The experts assembled is needed to see the recommendations through in an expedited manner, something not yet fully addressed in the report but should be considered. These experts assembled should remain within the influence of the Department of Energy as a knowledge base to help guide and nurture legislature needed to expedite the recommendations cited within the report. Failure to provide this type of assistance will only further handicap this nation from finally moving forward to resolving our nuclear waste problems. I believe these experts can also be used to assist the international communities like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as we jointly develop stronger polices and guidelines for the care and handling of nuclear waste disposal. Georgia and the other nuclear power production states can ill-afford to loose any more time with just mere words and statements. I urge the Blue Ribbon Commission to remain active in the representation of its recommendation until they are all fulfilled.