Protestors to Nuclear Regulator Commission: Keep Nuke Waste out of Texas

Sept. 13, 2021
For Immediate release

Contacts: Karen Hadden, Karendhadden@gmail.com, 512-797-8481,
Hon. Lon Burnam, lonbunram@gmail.com, 817-721-5846
Susybelle Goslee, sgosslee@airmail.net, 214-732-8610

MEDIA ADVISORY

Protestors to Nuclear Regulator Commission: Keep Nuke Waste out of Texas

Arlington, Texas – Protesters gathered outside of the Regional Headquarters of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Arlington, Texas today to oppose the agency’s expected approval of a license to store dangerous nuclear reactor waste in West Texas.

Overwhelming opposition to the plan has been demonstrated over and over again, most recently with the passage of HB 7 unanimously in the Texas Senate and by a 119-3 vote in the House. Such a strong bipartisan vote is rare these days in Texas. The Governor signed the bill on September 9 and it went into effect immediately.

“The NRC should listen to the voices of our governor, legislators and millions of Texans and halt licensing of a facility that would put our health and safety at risk. Strong bipartisan votes are a clear message from the Texas Legislature to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. When it comes to importing deadly radioactive waste to Texas: We Don’t Want It!,” said SEED Coalition Director Karen Hadden. “We will keep fighting even if the license is issued. We have legal challenges in the courts and will continue organizing. We hope the Texas Attorney General fights to protect us as well.”

“The U.S. Nuclear regulatory Commission is likely to issue a license today to store up to 40,000 metric tons of the nation’s most dangerous nuclear reactor waste in Andrews County, Texas. With the passage of HB 7, the state can deny the permits necessary to dump new waste at the site. We hope the feds have heard the message: We don’t want it!” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, former director of Public Citizen’s Texas Office.

“The recent bill at the Texas Legislature will help support our legal case opposing licensing for high-level radioactive waste storage, which is now at the DC Circuit Court of Appeals,” said Cyrus Reed, Conservation Director for the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. SEED Coalition, Beyond Nuclear and a coalition of oil and gas industries led by Fasken Oil and Ranch also have cases on appeal.

Opposition to the nation’s high-level waste coming to Texas for storage has been expressed in a recent resolution by Andrews County, which could host the facility if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses a facility.

Five other counties and three cities passed similar resolutions, representing 5.4 million Texans. School districts, the Midland Chamber of Commerce and oil and gas companies have joined environmental and faith-based groups in opposing the dangerous plan. Governor Abbott has written strong letters to the NRC and a bipartisan group of Congressional Representatives spoke out as well. Letters and a recent press release are online at www.NoNuclearWaste.org. The enrolled version of HB 7 is online here.

“Licensing of the proposed high-level radioactive waste storage facility does not mean it will get built. We will continue to fight for protection of the health, safety, environment and economy of Texas,” said former State Representative Lon Burnam.