Senate confirms Energy’s No. 2
Nevada senators oppose nominee, cite Yucca plans
WASHINGTON — An official who will play a key role in any effort to revive the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain was confirmed overwhelmingly Thursday by the Senate, despite opposition from Nevada’s two senators.
Dan Brouillette, nominated by President Donald Trump, was confirmed 79-19 to be the deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Sens. Dean Heller, R-nev., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-nev., both voted against the nomination over concerns that DOE and the Trump administration are moving forward with plans to revive the Yucca Mountain site.
Heller said he is concerned not only with what he called the DOE’S disregard for public safety and environmental threats of reviving Yucca Mountain, but also “its dismissal of consent-based approach as a viable solution to our country’s nuclear waste problem.”
“Because Nevada overwhelmingly rejects bringing nuclear waste to our state, I could not support this nomination,” Heller said.
A spokesman for Cortez Masto, Rey Benitez, said the senator “has a fair share of concerns about Dan Brouillette’s statements on Yucca Mountain and that is why she voted against his nomination.”
Despite the opposition by Nevada lawmakers, Brouillette was easily confirmed with bipartisan support.
Brouillette will serve under Secretary Rick Perry. Brouillette will oversee offices within the department that will carry out the licensing application before the Nuclear Regulatory Committee, which will determine if the Yucca Mountain facility is viable to permanently store nuclear waste.
Contact Gary Martin at 202-6627390 or gmartin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.