Michigan State Senators Urging Feds To Complete Nuclear Waste Storage Facility

LANSING (WWJ) -- The Michigan State Senate is urging the federal government to open up Nevada's Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository.

Senator Phil Pavlov of St. Clair Township says Michigan residents have been paying this on their utility bills for years.

"We have the Canadian government contemplating building a nuclear waste repository very close to Lake Huron," Pavlov said. "It's time that they take that responsibility. Let's fix this problem, let's let the federal government resolve their energy issues and get this funded."

Michigan is home to three nuclear power plants. Nevada's Yucca Mountain facility hasn't been finished due to local politics. State Senator John Proos of St. Joseph, Michigan is a sponsor.

"You're paying a surcharge that has given the federal government almost a billion dollars on our bills to build Yucca Mountain for a permanent depository," Proos said.

Republican Senators want Congress to appropriate money from the Nuclear Waste Fund to create the storage facility for the spent fuel.