Private Nuclear Waste Dump on Native American Lands
Kucinich gave the following speech in Congress on July 28, 2005:
Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following speech for the Record:
"I wish to welcome musicians Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers), actor James Cromwell, actress Joan McIntosh, leading opponents to PFS from the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe—Margene Bullcreek and Lena Knight, and Winona LaDuke, program director at Honor the Earth.
"Thank you everyone for being here today. Your presence means much to us. Perspectives from those not inside the beltway are essential if we are to make the best public policy choices.
"Today we will hear from the Native Americans who will be living next to a radioactive waste dump if the powers that be have their way. Private Fuel Storage (PFS) is a consortium of nuclear utilities that desire to dump nuclear waste on sacred Native American grounds in Utah.
"The proposal put forth by PFS would house 44,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste and is unjust, extremely dangerous, and unnecessary. Placing a giant nuclear waste dump on Native American land, against the consent of the tribe, violates Native American rights and raises environmental justice issues.
"The PFS proposal puts the safety of the American people at risk. High-level irradiated waste would need to be transferred thousands of miles across the country in order to get to the facility. This creates the possibility of a potentially catastrophic radioactivity release during transportation due to an accident or terrorist attack. I represent Cleveland, and my constituents are not happy about living on a transportation route.
"This facility is not necessary because it does not reduce the risks posed by high-level radioactive waste, and would only exacerbate the problems currently facing nuclear power in the United States.
"In response, 61 Members of Congress signed a letter that urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to deny the license for PFS. We are awaiting the NRC's response.
"I urge all of you here today to demand accountability, responsibility, justice, and fairness. We cannot allow this trampling of Native American rights."
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