The top 10 House recipients sit on either the Commerce or Appropriations committees. Six of the top 10 Senate recipients belong to the upper chamber's Energy and Natural Resources or Appropriations committees. Those four committees have the most impact on Yucca Mountain legislation. All of the top recipients also represent states that either have nuclear power plants or weapons-related radioactive waste. Power plants store their waste on site, but many utilities have complained that they have diminished capacity to do so and may be forced to shut down.
Deregulation is also a big-time pocketbook issue for the utilities.
They want to make sure the framework to compete is done right. Another issue is commercial nuclear trade with China. China has a market and we want U.S. companies to participate in it. The industry's financial clout poses a major hurdle for dump opponents, including Nevada's congressional delegation and environmental groups. Bryan called the nuclear lobby one of the nation's strongest.