By Humberto Sanchez The Nevada Independent President Donald Trump Monday unveiled his $4.8 trillion fiscal 2021 budget blueprint, which included no funding to build a national nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and signaled an interest in finding an alternative to the project. “The Administration is strongly committed to fulfilling its legal obligations to … [Read more...]
Mercury Storage: Nevada Gold Operators sue Department of Energy over Decision to ship Mercury to Private Texas Facility
By Daniel Rothberg The Nevada Independent In 2008, Congress passed legislation to ban the export of mercury. The legislation, sponsored by then-Sen. Barack Obama, aimed to reduce global emissions of a toxin that can accumulate in food supplies after it’s released in air or water. Congress passed the bill with near-unanimity. But the export ban left a legacy issue — and … [Read more...]
Nevada’s Veto Power a Sticking Point in Yucca Mountain
By Humberto Sanchez The Nevada Independent House proponents of storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain are unwilling to negotiate with members of the state’s congressional delegation over whether to give the state veto power over building the repository. But key members of the Senate, led by Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski, who are frustrated with the lack of … [Read more...]
Energy Department Eliminates Nevada as Test Site for Advanced Geothermal Research but Project Leaders Say Work Will Continue
By Daniel Rothberg, The Nevada Independent On a drive from Reno into Churchill County along the I-80, steam billows off the Earth next to a nearby geothermal plant. The natural vents, known as fumaroles, are clustered near the power plant and allow underground heat to escape the surface. They’re a good indicator of a potential energy source for Nevada renewable … [Read more...]