Little, Wasden praise spent fuel milestone

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Governor Brad Little and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden issued the following joint statement Wednesday praising the completion by the U.S. Navy of a major milestone in the Idaho Settlement Agreement, which addresses the handling of spent nuclear fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory.

“The U.S. Navy’s completion of an important cleanup milestone 18 months ahead of schedule is a prime example of the success our state and federal government can achieve when we cooperate and remain committed to a goal that benefits Idahoans, our local economy, and the nation’s security and military preparedness. By removing this spent nuclear fuel from water pool storage, the U.S. Navy has kept an important promise the federal government made to Idahoans as part of the 1995 settlement agreement and the 2008 Navy Addendum agreement. The Navy’s accomplishment enables the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program to continue its important national security mission supporting our nation’s defense around the globe. We are thankful to everyone in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Energy, and the State of Idaho who helped achieve this important milestone ahead of schedule, and we look forward to continuing success at INL for the benefit of generations of Americans and Idahoans.”

Governor Little and Attorney General Wasden reached a similar agreement last year with the U.S. Department of Energy, resolving uncertainty about commitments made in the 1995 Settlement Agreement and providing the state with assurance that nuclear materials that require a cooling off period are not kept in wet storage longer than necessary.