May 7, 2009

After receiving the smallest budget in its history through the work of Nevada Senator Harry Reid, the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump will be shutdown.  "It's over with -- Yucca Mountain is gone," said Reid.

The Obama Administration’s budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, officially released today, follows through on the president’s commitment to end the failed Yucca Mountain proposal and instead pursue responsible alternatives for storage of the nation’s nuclear waste.

The project will have a budget of less than $197 million – a cut of more than $90 million from last year.  Remaining funding for Yucca Mountain will be spent on the Blue Ribbon Commission examining alternate options and on phasing out work on the project in preparation for its final shutdown.

Senator Reid's has fought the Yucca Mountain proposal for two decades.  To learn more about Yucca and Reid's work to ensure the health and safety of Nevadans, click here.