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“CONCERNS FOR THE ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1226-E1227 on June 25, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CONCERNS FOR THE ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE
REPORT
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HON. ED WHITFIELD
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 24, 1998
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, two days ago the full House passed the FY 1999 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. I was proud to lend my support to that bill, although there are several important issues affecting my District that I would like to bring to the attention of my House colleagues.
I represent the workers at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant--one of two plants in America that originally enriched uranium for our country's nuclear weapons production program. Today, that uranium is sold to commercial nuclear power companies.
The environmental cleanup associated with the enrichment process is financed by the Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund. The President requested $277 million for the D&D fund. The Senate bill includes $197 million while the House bill provides $225 million.
The federal government is responsible for this cleanup, Mr. Speaker, and further delays will result in higher long-term costs. It is my hope that the House and Senate conferees will agree to fund the D&D program at the higher House-approved funding level.
Another issue of special importance to me was raised by my colleague in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, during a floor discussion with Senator Pete Domenici, Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.
The United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) currently manages the two uranium enrichment plants in Paducah, Kentucky and Portsmouth, Ohio. Legislation has already passed the Congress to privatize USEC and final privatization action is imminent. Once that Corporation is privatized, I have been advised that between 600 to 1,700 jobs will be lost at the two plants.
I have also been told that USEC has accrued approximately $400 million on its books for the purpose of cleaning up the uranium waste generated by the enrichment process since USEC took over operation of the plants from the Department of Energy in 1993. However, this money only remains available until USEC is privatized and, at that point, the monies would be transferred to the Treasury.
I oppose returning those funds to the Treasury when they were originally earmarked for cleanup of USEC's uranium waste at both of the gaseous diffusion plants.
It would be my hope that my colleagues on the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee will work with me to ensure that the money earmarked for the purpose of cleaning up the uranium tails produced by USEC will continue to be dedicated for these purposes and help mitigate job losses at these plants.
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