Congrats and thanks to our colleagues, as well as our members and supporters, across Texas, for taking action!

Waste Control Specialists, LLC's (WCS) dangerously bad radioactive waste bill has been stopped, for now at least, in the Texas state legislature! May 31st was the last day of the legislature's session, and the bill was not passed.

However, Texas governor, Greg Abbott, has threatened to convene a special session of the legislature, in Texas Republicans' obsessive bid to pass draconian voter suppression legislation yet this year.

If that were to happen, vigilance -- and action -- may well still be required to fend off yet another attempt to pass the dangerous LLRW (so-called "Low-Level" Radioactive Waste) bill into law.

See the entries below for more info. on TX State Rep. Landgraf's bill, introduced on behalf of WCS's greed-driven special interest.

Re: Dangerous Texas Radioactive Waste Legislation - please watch for amendments regarding surcharge reduction, from Rep. Landgraf's HB 2692

SEED Coalition Action Alert -- Re: Dangerous Radioactive Waste Legislation -- please watch for amendments regarding surcharge reduction, from Rep. Landgraf's HB 2692!

Dear Beyond Nuclear Members/Supporters in Texas,  Congratulations, and thanks to all who have taken action in response to past action alerts in the past week or two. The dangerously bad Landgraf radioactive waste bill, HB 2692, has been blocked, for now, by a successful Point of Order. It was sent back to committee, where it did not manage to re-emerge from. See the following news article for more information: The Texas Tribune - Alliance of Texas environmental, oil interests block bill that would have given nuclear waste company a financial break - By Erin Douglas Additional news articles are posted at the No Nuclear Waste Aqui website link at the bottom below. However, despite the current good news, Lon Burnam has warned : "The bill is not dead yet. There are various bills that Landgraff might try to put his bill on. They call it 'catching a ride'." In fact, in the past, bad radioactive waste legislation was -- shamefully -- quietly added as a rider onto a good bill addressing domestic violence, which unfortunately led to the good bill going down in flames, when the Texas governor had to veto it, in order to block the non-germane radioactive waste legislation rider that had been added in the legislature. Please see the important action alert update from Karen Hadden of the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition in Austin, and former Texas state representative Lon Burnam on behalf of Public Citizen's Texas Office, above and below. Also see the successful Point of Order, posted online here. Please warn Texas State House of Representatives Members (their contact info. is included, below), per Karen and Lon's warning below. Please spread the word to other Texans! Thank you! ---Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Specialist, Beyond Nuclear Karen and Lon's suggested language for warning Texas State House of Representatives Members about the bad radioactive waste language being added as a rider onto other unrelated bills in the days ahead: Dear House Members, Please start watching for amendments such as the one last session that snuck the radioactive waste surcharge reductions for Waste Control Specialists (WCS) through on a non-germane bill and led to the veto by Governor Abbott. The language did not clearly relay that the amendment was about radioactive waste. Watch for language involving Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 401. Texas should keep the currently required surcharge fee which could exceed a billion dollars, and which comes from out-of-state. Thanks so much! Karen Hadden, SEED Coalition Former State Representative Lon Burnam, Public Citizen See the Texas State House of Representatives' "Find Your Representative" website, linked here. Email addresses for Texas State House of Representatives Members: dade.phelan@house.texas.gov,  abel.herrero@house.texas.gov, alex.dominguez@house.texas.gov,  alma.allen@house.texas.gov, ana-maria.ramos@house.texas.gov, ana.hernandez@house.texas.gov, andrew.murr@house.texas.gov, angie.button@house.texas.gov, ann.johnson@house.texas.gov, armando.walle@house.texas.gov, art.fierro@house.texas.gov, barbara.gervin-hawkins@house.texas.gov, ben.leman@house.texas.gov, brad.buckley@house.texas.gov, briscoe.cain@house.texas.gov, bryan.slaton@house.texas.gov, candy.noble@house.texas.gov, carl.sherman@house.texas.gov, cecil.bell@house.texas.gov, celia.israel@house.texas.gov, charles.anderson@house.texas.gov, charlie.geren@house.texas.gov, chris.paddie@house.texas.gov, chris.turner@house.texas.gov, christina.morales@house.texas.gov, claudia.ordazperez@house.texas.gov, cody.harris@house.texas.gov, cody.vasut@house.texas.gov, cole.hefner@house.texas.gov, craig.goldman@house.texas.gov, dan.huberty@house.texas.gov, david.cook@house.texas.gov, dennis.paul@house.texas.gov, dewayne.burns@house.texas.gov, diego.bernal@house.texas.gov, donna.howard@house.texas.gov, drew.darby@house.texas.gov, drew.springer@house.texas.gov, dustin.burrows@house.texas.gov, ed.thompson@house.texas.gov, eddie.lucio_iii@house.texas.gov, eddie.morales@house.texas.gov, eddie.rodriguez@house.texas.gov, erin.zwiener@house.texas.gov, ernest.bailes@house.texas.gov, four.price@house.texas.gov, garnet.coleman@house.texas.gov, gary.gates@house.texas.gov, gary.vandeaver@house.texas.gov, geanie.morrison@house.texas.gov, gene.wu@house.texas.gov, gina.hinojosa@house.texas.gov, giovanni.capriglione@house.texas.gov, glenn.rogers@house.texas.gov, greg.bonnen@house.texas.gov, harold.dutton@house.texas.gov, hubert.vo@house.texas.gov, hugh.shine@house.texas.gov, ina.minjarez@house.texas.gov, jacey.jetton@house.texas.gov, jake.ellzey@house.texas.gov, james.frank@house.texas.gov, james.talarico@house.texas.gov, james.white@house.texas.gov, jared.patterson@house.texas.gov, jarvis.johnson@house.texas.gov, jasmine.crockett@house.texas.gov, jay.dean@house.texas.gov, jeff.cason@house.texas.gov, jeff.leach@house.texas.gov, jessica.gonzalez@house.texas.gov, jim.murphy@house.texas.gov, jm.lozano@house.texas.gov, joe.deshotel@house.texas.gov, joe.moody@house.texas.gov, john.bucy@house.texas.gov, john.cyrier@house.texas.gov, john.frullo@house.texas.gov, john.kuempel@house.texas.gov, john.raney@house.texas.gov, john.smithee@house.texas.gov, john.turner@house.texas.gov, jon.rosenthal@house.texas.gov, julie.johnson@house.texas.gov, justin.holland@house.texas.gov, keith.bell@house.texas.gov, ken.king@house.texas.gov, kyle.biedermann@house.texas.gov, kyle.kacal@house.texas.gov, lacey.hull@house.texas.gov, larry.taylor@senate.texas.gov, leo.pacheco@house.texas.gov, lina.ortega@house.texas.gov, liz.campos@house.texas.gov, lyle.larson@house.texas.gov, lynn.stucky@house.texas.gov, mando.martinez@house.texas.gov, "Rep. Mary E. Gonzalez" <mary.gonzalez@house.texas.gov>, maryannperez@house.texas.gov, matt.krause@house.texas.gov, matt.schaefer@house.texas.gov, matt.shaheen@house.texas.gov, mayes.middleton@house.texas.gov, michelle.beckley@house.texas.gov, mike.schofield@house.texas.gov, morgan.meyer@house.texas.gov, nicole.collier@house.texas.gov, oscar.longoria@house.texas.gov, penny.moralesshaw@house.texas.gov, phil.king@house.texas.gov, phil.stephenson@house.texas.gov, philip.cortez@house.texas.gov, rafael.anchia@house.texas.gov, ramon.romero@house.texas.gov, ray.lopez@house.texas.gov, reggie.smith@house.texas.gov, rhetta.bowers@house.texas.gov, richard.raymond@house.texas.gov, robert.guerra@house.texas.gov, ron.reynolds@house.texas.gov, ryan.guillen@house.texas.gov, sam.harless@house.texas.gov, scott.sanford@house.texas.gov, senfronia.thompson@house.texas.gov, sergio.munoz@house.texas.gov, shawn.thierry@house.texas.gov, shelby.slawson@house.texas.gov, sheryl.cole@house.texas.gov, stan.lambert@house.texas.gov, stephanie.klick@house.texas.gov, steve.allison@house.texas.gov, steve.toth@house.texas.gov, tan.parker@house.texas.gov, terry.canales@house.texas.gov, terry.meza@house.texas.gov, terry.wilson@house.texas.gov, todd.hunter@house.texas.gov, tom.craddick@house.texas.gov, tom.oliverson@house.texas.gov, toni.rose@house.texas.gov, tony.tinderholt@house.texas.gov, tracy.king@house.texas.gov, travis.clardy@house.texas.gov, trent.ashby@house.texas.gov, trey.martinezfischer@house.texas.gov, valoree.swanson@house.texas.gov, victoria.neave@house.texas.gov, vikki.goodwin@house.texas.gov, will.metcalf@house.texas.gov, yvonne.davis@house.texas.gov  VISIT NO NUCLEAR WASTE AQUI'S WEBSITE, HERE

Update on May 12, 2021 by admin

Wed., May 12th update from Karen Hadden at SEED Coalition:

The Texas Tribune - Alliance of Texas environmental, oil interests block bill that would have given nuclear waste company a financial break - By Erin Douglas

Caller Times -  Radioactive waste bill is likely dead in the Texas Legislature - by John Moritz  

Midland Reporter Telegram - Craddick kills Landgraf's nuclear waste bill by Stewart Doreen 

Here's an update... We're not done, but things are looking pretty good!  Many thanks to everyone for pitching in, making calls, spreading the word and working at the Capitol! Your efforts are paying off! 

The bad radioactive waste vendor bill, HB 2962, has been halted - for now - on the House side. The companion bill in the Senate, SB 1046, was put on intent one time, and then taken off the intent calendar. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick decides whether to send it to the floor for a vote and it has been held off for some time now. 

We can't rest until the session is over, because WCS is known for pulling dirty tricks and they don't quit. Their bill was the last one up in one session and time was extended past midnight to discuss it. Last session an amendment was handed off by Landgraf to Poncho Nevarez, who added it onto a domestic violence bill (non-germane) on the third reading. He only said that it was "some incentives" and never mentioned radioactive waste or surcharge reductions. The amendment was in legal language and no one knew what it meant, so it passed. We're hoping to avoid a replay and are asking legislators to watch for and be ready to respond to any amendment language involving Texas Health and Safety Code Section 401.

We'll send another message very soon with actions you can help with. 

Best wishes and thanks! 

Karen Hadden, SEED Coalition, 512-797-8481

Alliance of Texas environmental, oil interests block bill that would have given nuclear waste company a financial break

Alliance of Texas environmental, oil interests block bill that would have given nuclear waste company a financial break

Opponents said the legislation wasn’t strong enough to stop highly radioactive materials from coming to Texas and instead amounted to a financial giveaway to a West Texas nuclear waste company.

As reported by Erin Douglas at the Texas Tribune.

VICTORY ON TX NUKE WASTE BILL! Thanks for helping stop HB 2692 -- for now

Opponents spoke out against Waste Control Specialists, LLC's highly radioactive waste Consolidated Interim Storage Facility schemes at NRC's environmental scoping public comment meeting in Andrews, Texas in Feb., 2017Anti-nuke activist Lon Burnam, who previously served as a progressive Democratic Texas State Rep. from Fort Worth for 18 years, reports: "We in Austin are excited to report the TX Nuke Waste House Bill was referred back to committee today because the Bill Analysis was substantially incorrect. That does not mean it's dead, but is a very polite way of saying the author of the bill has lied about what the bill would accomplish."

Thanks to all who have opposed State Rep. Brooks Landgraf's bill, including our members in TX! Texans, please continue to take action. If you do not reside in TX, please spread word to Texans you know, urging them to take action. See action alerts at link below for more information.

Read more at our "low-level" radioactive waste website section.

Victory (for now, at least) at the Texas Legislature! Please keep this win in place! More calls and emails are needed - many thanks!

Update and action alert from Karen Hadden, SEED Coalition, dated May 6th at 3:43am ET:

Hi Everyone, Yay! Thanks to your hard work we had a massive victory at the Capitol today on the bad radioactive waste bill, HB 2692 by Landgraf! This is amazing... and the scale of the battle is unprecedented. 
In the process, many Legislators have learned a lot about the risks of bringing radioactive waste here, including safety, security, environmental and financial risks.
We won on a point-of-order written by Rep. Harold Dutton and offered by Speaker Tom Craddick. The bill analysis was found to be wrong, especially in describing the curie limits. It failed to accurately reflect what's in the bill. You can read the original bill analysis here. Unfortunately, we'll have to work to keep this victory in place... 
Rep. Landgraf gets a chance to correct the bill analysis. The bill has been recommitted (sent back) to the Environmental Reg. committee. 
This committees will likely meet ASAP and only have to post notice two hours ahead of time. We won't get to speak in these committee meetings.

TAKE ACTION to KEEP THIS VICTORY IN PLACE! Please call or email these House members and ask them to do vote NO on HB 2692! Those highlighted in yellow deserve thanks for previously voting NO on this bill. Talking points follow the contact information for Legislators.  Amendments cannot improve this seriously flawed bill.Environmental groups remain solidly opposed and oil companies are in alignment with this position. 

Environmental Regulation Committee members to call
Penny	Morales Shaw	penny.moralesshaw@house.texas.gov	512-463-0620
Geanie	Morrison	geanie.morrison@house.texas.gov	512-463-0456
Jay	Dean	jay.dean@house.texas.gov	512-463-0750
Kyle	Kacal	kyle.kacal@house.texas.gov	512-463-0412
John	Kuempel	john.kuempel@house.texas.gov	512-463-0602
Ron	Reynolds	ron.reynolds@house.texas.gov	512-463-0494
Vikki	Goodwin	vikki.goodwin@house.texas.gov	512-463-0652
Calendars Committee Members to call:
Dustin	Burrows	dustin.burrows@house.texas.gov	512-463-0542
Joseph	Moody	joe.moody@house.texas.gov	512-463-0728
Ben	Leman	ben.leman@house.texas.gov	512-463-0600
Cody	Harris	cody.harris@house.texas.gov	512-463-0730
Toni	Rose	toni.rose@house.texas.gov	512-463-0664
Ana	Hernandez	ana.hernandez@house.texas.gov	512-463-0614
Tom	Craddick	tom.craddick@house.texas.gov	512-463-0500
Cole	Hefner	cole.hefner@house.texas.gov	512-463-0271
Jared	Patterson	jared.patterson@house.texas.gov	512-463-0694
Shelby	Slawson	shelby.slawson@house.texas.gov	512-463-0628
James	Talarico	james.talarico@house.texas.gov	512-463-0607

• ·     This bill: Fails to stop deadly high-level radioactive waste from coming to Texas due to loopholes and federal preemption. It’s a nuclear Trojan horse.

• ·     Massive Giveaways: Governor Abbott vetoed these massive financial giveaways to Waste Control Specialists (WCS) last session and vowed to protect Texas from high-level radioactive waste.

• ·     Texas could lose over a billion dollars in surcharges on WCS’ low-level radioactive waste imports, revenues that we’ll need to clean up clean up contamination or accidents later. Surcharges from out-of-state companies benefit the Texas economy and should remain in place.
  

·    Safety regulations would be shredded and an antitrust requirement would be removed. 

Many thanks!  Karen Hadden, SEED Coalition, 512-797-8481