Headline story from Yucca Mountain Newsletter - Fall of 2002

DOE’s Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Stalls in Congress

This year the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management requested $527 million dollars for the Yucca Mountain Project. The House provided $525 million and the Senate provided $336 million. Now the House and Senate conference committee must resolve the differences between the two budget amounts. Once the House and Senate agree upon a final budget number, the appropriations bill will be sent to the President for approval.

Most spending bills this year are experiencing similar delays in approval process. The Yucca Mountain Project will operate under a continuing resolution until the appropriations bill is passed.

DOE has also made a supplement request of $66 million. This funding is being requested to allow DOE to pursue transportation initiatives across the U.S. and Nevada. DOE will be using $6.0 million this year to study rail transportation options in Nevada.Congress has directed DOE to work with local governments in Nevada to resolve rail access to Yucca Mountain with the caveat that DOE will avoid the Las Vegas Valley. Directing transportation routes around major metropolitan areas is not unique in Nevada or other states. It has been done for several years on other major waste shipment campaigns. Consideration of waste shipments through Clark County no longer appears to be a viable option for Yucca Mountain.

As the Yucca Mountain Project moves forward, annual budget requests are expected to rise commensurate with important project milestones. By fiscal year 2005, DOE will be requesting $1.1 billion increasing that amount to $1.6 billion for facility construction in fiscal year 2007.