Congressman Ed Whitfield’s bill to re-enrich depleted uranium stockpiles has no downside. But that hasn’t immunized it from opposition from Democrats in Congress and the Department of Energy.
The 1st District congressman has succeeded in advancing the Energy and Revenue Enrichment Act through the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, which he chairs. The bill would initiate a two-year pilot program of enriching spent uranium tails at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and another plant in Ohio.
If the bill becomes law, it would have many benefits.
It would make constructive use of a portion of the waste accumulated over a half century of uranium enrichment, thus saving the cost, $135 million, and environmental impact of disposal. Some 40,000 cylinders of depleted uranium are stockpiled at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Although this pilot program would re-enrich only a small part of the depleted uranium on site, it would at least demonstrate the viability of re-enrichment. Assuming it proves successful, follow-up legislation could authorize finishing the job.
Congress, with its thirst for new revenue, should seize the opportunity. Again, the pilot program would be only a start. The Government Accountability Office estimates the potential value of the re-enriched tails at $4 billion.
More important, this would save jobs. The Paducah plant is slated to be phased out in a few years, leaving 1,200 well-paid employees with expertise in handling nuclear materials in search of work. Re-enriching the tails could keep many jobs here for years to come.
“Given our current rate of unemployment,” Whitfield said, “1,200 jobs is not insignificant.”
Kentucky Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul introduced companion legislation in the Senate. McConnell has criticized Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu for failing to address this opportunity, even when it was brought to his attention.
Some members of Congress, beholden to environmental organizations and their campaign contributions, resist anything related to nuclear energy. But this bill would remove an environmental liability, not create one.
Environmentalists should embrace the legislation.
Democratic leaders also have objected to the bill because it does not provide for competitive bidding. Whitfield said, “There is no other place that can re-enrich the tails. ... How can you bid when there’s nobody else to bid?”
There’s no rational reason to oppose re-enriching this depleted uranium. Congress should approve this bill.
source: ww.paducahsun.com
