NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Raul Torrez have issued a statement regarding the use of New Mexico locations for the storage of spent nuclear fuel. The statement follows a decision made by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to license Holtec International as an interim fuel storage facility.
This decision by the NRC – which has been made despite the grave concerns of the state and the legislature over the project’s potential impacts to health, safety, and the economy – is incredibly disappointing. It also undermines the NRC’s alleged commitment to meaningful engagement with stakeholders, as it appears our concerns were wholly ignored and went unaddressed by Holtec and the NRC.
Michelle Lujan Grisham and Raul Torrez
The pair stated, “We will not stop our fight to protect New Mexico from becoming a nuclear dumping ground.” Senate Bill 53, regarding the storage of radioactive waste, was touted, and the representatives stated they would be “evaluating available legal recourse” to take action preventing the groundbreaking of the storage facility.
