The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S9017-S9018 on Sept. 9, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-224. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Resolution
Whereas, the Federal Government's program to manage and dispose of spent fuel from the United States nuclear power plants is substantially behind schedule and failure to take appropriate action to enable said Federal Government to take title to and possession of this material in a timely and efficient manner coul result in the need to construct and operate one or more long-term spent nuclear fuel storage facilities in Massachusetts and New England; and
Whereas, forty per cent of New England's power is from nuclear plant generation which is the highest percentage for any region in the entire United States; and
Whereas, New England's capability to meet the clean Air Act requirements is highly dependent upon continued availability of our nuclear power plants; and
Whereas, continued operation of our nuclear power plants reduces New England's dependence on the importation of foreign oil; and
Whereas, the Department of Energy is contractually required to begin to take title to and possession of spent fuel on January 31, 1998; and
Whereas, an integrated spent fuel management system is necessary which should include, but not be limited to, four essential components:
A central facility for interim storage until a permanent repository is made available;
A transportation infrastructure for the safe and efficient transfer of spent fuel;
A central repository for permanent deep geological disposal; and
A provision to prioritize the acceptance of spent nuclear fuel from shut down reactor sites; and
Whereas, more than $12,000,000,000 has been paid into the nuclear waste fund of which over $1,000,000,000 has been paid by the ratepayers of New England and current congressional budget restraints preclude proper use of the funds consistent with schedule requirements; and
Whereas, legislation to rectify the nuclear waste storage problem have been introduced in this one hundred and fifth session of the United States Congress: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Massachusetts House of Representatives respectfully requests that the United States Congress enact legislation to address the problems relative to the disposal of nuclear waste and that members thereof from the Commonwealth take a leadership role in insuring that the financial, energy and environmental interests of the ratepayers of the Commonwealth are protected; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded by the clerk of the House of Representatives to the Presiding Officer of each branch of the United States Congress and to the members thereof in this Commonwealth.
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