Congressional negotiators in the House of Representatives and the Senate agreed late February 11 on a $789 billion stimulus bill but killed an attempt to squander $50 billion on new nuclear reactors. The agreement, made in the conference committee, axed a proposal from Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) to include $50 billion in pork barrel federal loan guarantees for the nuclear industry. The Congressional Budget Office stated earlier this year that nuclear utilities would default on more than 50% of the loans, leaving taxpayers and ratepayers to foot the bill. A one billion dollar allocation to the National Nuclear Security Administration for unspecified nuclear "weapons activities" was also removed from the bill.
For more background on opposition to the $50 billion for new nuclear reactors, read the Taxpayers for Common Sense letter to U.S. Senate.
View the environmental group coalition letter to U.S. Senate opposing $50 billion in federal taxpayer backed loan guarantees for new atomic reactors and coal to liquids (CTL) facilities, Feb. 2, 2009.