May 15, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— SENATE S6649 

For all their propaganda, and all 

their complaining to Congress, the nuclear utilities find a way to handle 

their waste, and keep reactors open 

and running. 

The CEO of Northern States Power, 

John Howard, has said ‘‘Resolution of 

interim storage for spent nuclear fuel 

from our country’s commercial power 

plants has reached crisis proportions.’’

Mr. Howard’s assessment—that interim storage of nuclear waste is an 

impending crisis, and, thus, Congress 

must act to move this waste to Nevada 

as soon as possible—is a common 

theme in the nuclear power industry. 

As the Prairie Island situation demonstrates, however, the crisis scenario 

is simply not true from a technical or 

scientific perspective. 

Of course, I do not expect many of 

my colleagues will hear much about 

the resolution of the supposed crisis at 

Prairie Island. 

The resolution of the Prairie Island 

waste situation simply does not track 

with the contrived crisis scenario developed by the nuclear power industry 

and its lobbyists. 

To admit that nuclear utilities can 

find ways to take care of their own 

waste would shatter the carefully constructed fiction that interim storage in 

Nevada is the only possible alternative 

to shutting down the reactors. 

It should be acknowledged that 

Northern States Power paid a price for 

the approval of additional storage at 

Prairie Island. 

The debate over increased storage 

was intense, and many are still not 

happy. 

NSP was forced to make concessions, 

such as building more renewable energy sources. 

Other utilities are not anxious to go 

through what NSP went through. 

The unfortunate fact for nuclear utilities is that nuclear power, and nuclear 

waste, are not popular. 

The public relations and political 

problems associated with expanding 

storage capacity at reactors is an inescapable cost of nuclear power. 

Northern States Power also paid a financial price for expanding storage at 

Prairie Island. 

As other utilities do the same, especially after the 1998 goal for operation 

of a permanent repository included in 

the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, 

some action ought to be taken to provide some relief to the ratepayers who 

have paid in the first instance into the 

nuclear waste fund and who are not receiving the storage at that fund which 

they contemplated would be operational by the year 1998. 

I might say parenthetically, as the 

distinguished occupant of the chair 

knows, under no scenario, under absolutely none, will a facility be opened by 

the year 1998. 

So I believe as a matter of fairness 

that ratepayers are entitled to some 

relief in terms of payment into the nuclear waste fund. 

I have reintroduced in this Congress, 

as I have on previous occasions, legislation which this year bears the number 

of S. 429 which will provide a credit 

against nuclear waste fund contributions for utilities forced to build onsite storage after 1998. 

Under S. 429, ratepayers will not be 

financially penalized for the misguided 

and mismanaged efforts of the nuclear 

power industry and the Department of 

Energy to build a permanent repository in Nevada. 

I urge my colleagues to reject the nuclear power industry’s newest assault 

on the people of Nevada, and support 

S. 429. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. President, I suggest the absence 

of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. 

KEMPTHORNE). The clerk will call the 

roll. 

The bill clerk proceeded to call the 

roll. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent that the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I understand there are two bills due their 

second reading. 

f 

MEASURE PLACED ON THE 

CALENDAR—S. 761 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will read the first bill by title. 

The assistant legislative clerk read 

as follows: 

A bill (S. 761) to improve the ability of the 

United States to respond to the international terrorist threat. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I object to further proceedings on this matter at this time. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. That bill 

will be placed on the calendar. 

f 

MEASURE PLACED ON THE 

CALENDAR—S. 790 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will report the second bill by 

title. 

The assistant legislative clerk read 

as follows: 

A bill (S. 790) to provide for the modification or elimination of Federal reporting requirements. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I object to further proceedings on this matter at this time. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill 

will be placed on the calendar. 

f 

DISASTERS 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, last 

Friday, President Clinton declared a 

major disaster for the State of Mississippi, due to damage resulting from 

severe storms, flooding, and related 

problems, weather problems that occurred on May 8 and during the days 

following. This declaration is deeply 

appreciated by the people of Mississippi and the State of Mississippi because very severe damage has occurred 

in our State as all of us know who had 

an opportunity to watch television and 

read about the devastating floods that 

occurred all across the gulf coast, from 

New Orleans to Mobile and beyond. Included in this area of severe weather 

damage was my State of Mississippi. 

All of the coast counties and some of 

those counties that are more inland received severe damage. 

This declaration makes it possible 

now for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, led by James Lee 

Witt, to provide private, individual assistance to those disaster victims who 

qualify under Federal legislation. The 

letter also states that additional public 

assistance may be added at a later 

date. 

It is my understanding that the Governor’s office and his staff are working 

with Federal agents at this time in 

Mississippi, to try to ensure that all 

possible assistance, emergency and 

otherwise, is made available to these 

disaster victims. I commend the Governor and his staff for the fine work 

they are doing. 

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent a copy of the President’s letter to 

our Governor, Kirk Fordice, be printed 

at this point in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the letter 

was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, May 12, 1995. 

Hon. KIRK FORDICE, 

Governor of Mississippi, 

State Capitol, Jackson, MS. 

DEAR GOVERNOR FORDICE: As requested, I 

have declared a major disaster under the 

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) for 

the State of Mississippi due to damage resulting from severe storms, tornadoes, and 

flooding on May 8, 1995, and continuing. I 

have authorized Federal relief and recovery 

assistance in the affected area. 

Individual Assistance will be provided. 

Public Assistance may be added at a later 

date, if warranted. Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any Federal funds provided under 

the Stafford Act for Public Assistance will 

be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible 

costs in the designated areas. 

The Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) will coordinate Federal assistance efforts and designate specific areas 

eligible for such assistance. The Federal Coordinating Officer will be Mr. Michael J. 

Polny of FEMA. He will consult with you 

and assist in the execution of the FEMAState Disaster Assistance Agreement governing the expenditure of Federal funds. 

Sincerely, 

BILL CLINTON. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this 

also brings to mind legislation that I 

introduced recently to bring under the 

purview of the Public Safety Officers 

Benefits Act the employees of FEMA, 

the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, as well as employees of State 

and local emergency management and 

civil defense agencies. 

Senators may not realize this, but 

State and local police officers, firefighters, State and local rescue squads 

mmaher on MIKETEMP with SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS