Fee to build phantom nuke waste site ends

Fuel Fix ^ | May 15, 2014 | Associated Press

[thackney]

…The Energy Department will stop charging the fee by court order on Friday. The amount is only a small percentage of most customers’ bills, but it adds up to $750 million a year. The fund now holds $37 billion.

The money was collected to build a long-term disposal site for the highly radioactive nuclear waste generated by the nation’s nuclear power plants that is, by law, the federal government’s responsibility. …Don’t expect a refund, however. The latest Energy Department strategy, laid out in a report last year, is to have a site designed by 2042 and built by 2048 using the money in the fund.

…a typical residential customer pays $2 a year into the fund.

…In 2002 Congress approved Nevada’s Yucca Mountain as a site for a national nuclear waste dump and $9.5 billion was withdrawn from the fund to develop the project, according to the Government Accountability Office. But the project has been criticized as inadequate and flawed and is fiercely opposed by Nevadans. President Obama, fulfilling a campaign promise, cut funding for the program, withdrew its license application, and dismantled the office that was working on it.

”It’s a victory for customers,” White said of the end of the fee collection. “But it’s bittersweet because we’d still rather see a (nuclear waste) site.”

[driftdiver]

Because all that existing nuclear waste is safer sitting at the power plants.

[Steely Tom]

Piggybank for Politicians.

[cripplecreek]

Collecting $37 billion from taxpayers hasn’t made it any safer.

[saganite]

What a nice slush fund!

[saganite]

What a nice slush fund!

[BitWielder1]

I'm surprised the fund still has money in it.
With all the sticky fingers in government I'm surprised it hasn't been "diverted" to some "green" crony project or another.

[cripplecreek]

Don’t expect a refund, however. The latest Energy Department strategy, laid out in a report last year, is to have a site designed by 2042 and built by 2048 using the money in the fund.

In other words, "We spent the money and are kicking the can down the road till most of you are dead".

[driftdiver]

Boy oh boy is that true, but it did fund some really really great parties.

Who the heck makes these decisions and why aren’t they ever tarred and feathered?

[cripplecreek]

I’ve complained about this scam a couple of times in recent months but underestimated the amount be nearly half.

[Repeal The 17th]

“... The fund now holds $37 billion ...”
-
I suppose that money sits in a lock box alongside the social security fund.

[cripplecreek]

And highway funds, don’t forget the highway funds that are safely tucked away.

Its really sad how some get so upset by leaders in Ukraine and elsewhere stealing money when they’re nothing but petty thieves compared to our government.

[deoetdoctrinae]

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[driftdiver]

They are probably just upset that they are missing a great opportunity.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Wasn’t this fund used to build Yucca Mountain, which is now mothballed, despite the fact that it is geologically the MOST ideal spot for such a thing?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: I’m surprised the fund still has money in it. ::

I’m surprised that a good FReeper like BitWielder1 believes that the funding exists beyond a paper-chase-account.

[BitWielder1]

You got me there :)

[driftdiver]

So they spent $9.5 Billion on Yucca Mountain. Built a huge underground facility with massive infrastructure and have now abandoned it.

I guess the one good thing is this money was spent in this country vs sending it to Pakistan.

[Lockbox]

Don’t expect a refund, however. The latest Energy Department strategy, laid out in a report last year, is to have a site designed by 2042 and built by 2048 using the money in the fund.

Government never losses on these deals. One, does not have to refund the money. Two, will spend the 37 billion between now and then. Three, will be able to impose a new tax for this project since there will not be any money left to build the project and the new tax will be twice as much (or more) then the original tax.

[chimera]

Keep things in perspective. The DOE spent $9.5 billion over 30 years on Yucca Mtn. only to have Obama kill it because he wanted Harry Reid re-elected and Gregory Jaczko named NRC Chairman. As much a waste as that is, compare it to the gummint spending $80 billion in one year alone on food stamps for people who evidently can't (won't) feed themselves or their families. At least the people who worked on Yucca Mtn. paid for their own food (I know I did).