Reps. Proos, Horn, Crawford, Daley, Schuitmaker, Tyler, Bolger, Mayes, Geiss, Ebli, Lund, Agema, Ball, Barnett, Booher, Terry Brown, Durhal, Genetski, Green, Haugh, Rick Jones, Robert Jones, Knollenberg, Kurtz, Lahti, Lori, Marleau, Miller, Opsommer, Pavlov, Pearce and Wayne Schmidt offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 13.

A concurrent resolution to urge the United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fulfill their obligation to establish a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste.

            Whereas, Over the past four decades, nuclear power has been a significant source for the nation’s production of electricity. According to the U.S. Nuclear Energy Institute, nuclear power provided 19.4 percent of the electricity produced in the United States in 2007 and 25.8 percent of the electricity generated in Michigan in 2006; and

            Whereas, Since the earliest days of nuclear power, the great dilemma associated with this technology is how to deal with used nuclear fuel. This high-level radioactive waste demands exceptional care in all facets of its storage and disposal, including its transportation; and

            Whereas, In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. This legislation requires the federal government, through the Department of Energy, to build a repository for the permanent storage of high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. This act, which was amended in 1987, includes a specific timetable to identify a suitable location and to establish the waste repository. The costs for this undertaking are paid from a fee that is assessed on all nuclear energy produced; and

            Whereas, In accordance with the federal act, customers of Michigan electric utilities have paid $656 million through March 31, 2008, into the federal Nuclear Waste Fund for construction of the federal nuclear waste repository; and

            Whereas, There are serious concerns that the federal government is not complying with the timetables set forth in federal law. Every delay places our country at greater risk for a catastrophe to occur. The large number of temporary storage sites at nuclear facilities across the country make us vulnerable to potential problems. The events since September 11, 2001, clearly illustrate the urgency of the need to establish a safe and permanent high-level nuclear waste repository as soon as possible. The Department of Energy, along with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must work diligently to meet its obligation as provided by law. There is too much at stake; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we urge the United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fulfill their obligation to establish a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.