Senate confirms former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm as energy secretary

Jennifer M. Granholm's official portrait was unveiled in the state Capitol where it will hang in the Gallery of the Governors. The portrait features the governor amid symbols that tell the story of her administration's efforts to diversify Michigan's economy, educate and train its citizens, and protect them in tough economic times during the two-terms she served as Michigan's 47th governor.As reported by Axios.

See Beyond Nuclear radioactive waste specialist Kevin Kamps's statement about Jennifer Granholm's record, as MI AG and governor, on nuclear power and radioactive waste issues, at the time of her nomination by President Biden. (Kamps has served as a board member of Don't Waste Michigan, the state-wide anti-nuclear coalition, since the early 1990s.)

In response to questions raised by U.S. Sen. Cortez Masto (D-NV) during her U.S. Senate confirmation hearing last month, Energy Secretary Granholm expressed support for consent-based siting, and therefore opposition to the Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste dump targeted at Nevada. The state, and the Western Shoshone Indian Nation, have both expressed strong opposition to the proposed dump, for the past 34 years.

Although no U.S. Senators questioned Granholm about the Consolidated Interim Storage Facilities targeted at Texas and New Mexico, the Energy Secretary must surely also oppose them, as well, right? Neither targeted "host" state consents to the siting of either dump (the Texas dump is immediately upon the New Mexico border, and upstream; the New Mexico dump is not far from the Texas border). Both governors (Republican Greg Abbott in Texas, and Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham in New Mexico) have spoken out strongly against both dumps, as have many Members of Congress from both states, state legislators in both states, and a growing groundswell of grassroots groups and concerned citizens.