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In Final Appropriations Markups, Rep. Susie Lee Blocks Funding for Yucca Mountain, Secures Language Directing DOE to Pursue Consent-Based Solutions

July 16, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Susie Lee, a member of the Appropriations Committee, voted to pass the final two funding bills for Fiscal Year 2022 out of the full committee. The Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies funding bill and the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill for Fiscal Year 2022 now head to the House floor for final passage.

Importantly, the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies bill has zero funding for the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and critical drought mitigation funds for Nevada. As a member of the Energy and Water subcommittee, Rep. Lee worked closely with her committee leadership, members of the subcommittee, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to block funding for Yucca Mountain and secure language that directs the Department of Energy to pursue consent-based solutions.

"These funding bills include critical funds and provisions that will help build a safer, more sustainable future for Nevada," said Rep. Lee. "When I was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee, I knew I needed to sit on the Energy and Water subcommittee to ensure that Yucca Mountain would never become the nation's dumping ground for nuclear waste. I'm so proud to have voted to pass this bill with zero funding for Yucca Mountain, and I will never stop fighting to keep the nation's nuclear waste out of Nevada. I look forward to continuing to work with leadership and Energy Secretary Granholm to pursue consent-based solutions to this issue."

Rep. Susie Lee helped to champion and secure the following priorities in the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill, which was also advanced by the full Appropriations Committee today:

  • Zero funding for the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and critical report language directing the Department of Energy to pursue consent-based approaches
  • Funds that will help with drought mitigation, including:
    • $3,655,000 in Community Project Funding for the Lower Las Vegas Wash, a critical component in water resource management for southern Nevada
    • $50 million for the implementation of the Drought Contingency Plan in the Lower Colorado River Basin, to help reduce risks from ongoing drought and critically declining levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead
    • An increase of $21 million for the Drought Response Program in the WaterSMART Program, which will support a proactive approach by providing assistance to water managers to develop and update comprehensive drought plans and implement projects that will help build long-term water resiliency
  • An increase of $21 million for solar energy "soft costs," like permitting and inspection, which will reduce the time and cost of installing residential solar energy systems
  • $25 million for the DoE's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a program for which the state of Nevada has received awards totaling $72 million since 1985
  • $15 million for improved real time radiography equipment to support enhanced low-level radioactive waste verification and oversight
  • The Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill also:
    • Creates tens of thousands of good-paying jobs with a focus on deploying clean energy technologies and the green jobs of tomorrow in communities across the country
    • Confronts the climate crisis with more than $14 billion of transformative investments in clean energy and science, which will help develop clean, affordable, and secure American energy
    • Rebuilds our nation's water infrastructure, critical to protecting communities from more frequent and severe storms and addressing the worsening drought

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. In keeping with the Appropriations Committee's commitment to transparency, information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

  • Rep. KapturThe manager's amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Rep. Susie Lee helped to champion and secure the following priorities in the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill, which was advanced by the full Appropriations Committee today:

  • $78 million increase in funding for the Buses and Bus Facilities Program, a program from which Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada has received funds from in the past to modernize its fleet and facilities
  • $115 million increase in funding for the Low-No Emission Bus Grants, which provides additional assistance to help transportation authorities pursue new and innovative fuel alternatives for their bus fleets
  • The Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Funding also:
    • Creates tens of thousands of good-paying jobs with a focus on deploying clean energy technologies and the green jobs of tomorrow in communities across the country
    • Confronts the climate crisis with more than $14 billion of transformative investments in clean energy and science, which will help develop clean, affordable, and secure American energy
    • Rebuilds our nation's water infrastructure, critical to protecting communities from more frequent and severe storms and addressing the worsening drought

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. In keeping with the Appropriations Committee's commitment to transparency, information on Community Project Funding in the bill, before the adoption of a Manager's amendment, is here.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

  • Rep. PriceThe manager's amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
  • Rep. WomackThis amendment exempts transporters of livestock, insects, and other agricultural products from requirements to use Electronic Logging Devices. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Issues:Energy