Fact Check: Hillary Clinton Attacks Obama on Yucca, but...

Fact Check: Hillary Clinton Attacks Obama on Yucca But His Record of Opposition is Consistent and Clinton Has Taken Contributions from The Nuclear Industry

January 17, 2008

OBAMA HAS CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED USING YUCCA FOR PERMANENT NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE

Obama Sent A Letter With Durbin Saying That There Should Be Local Veto Power For Nuclear Waste Dumping. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, "When he was in Las Vegas in March for a health care forum, Obama told The Associated Press he opposed the repository and would look to regional storage as a solution. Surely that could not have meant keeping the stuff in Illinois, where much of the nation's commercial nuclear waste is generated. On June 30, 2006, Obama and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wrote a letter to Sen. Pete Domenici, D-N.M., who at the time chaired a key energy subcommittee. 'Senator Obama and I want to make it clear to the chairman that any plan to create regional nuclear waste sites without any local veto power is unacceptable,' Durbin said at the time. 'Illinois must not become a dumping ground -- even a temporary one -- for nuclear waste brought in from other states.'" (Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/15/07)

Obama Spokeswoman Said That States Shouldn't Be Burdened With Others' Waste. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, "The Obama campaign said Monday the candidate did not accept money from Exelon's lobbyists. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the letter shows Obama 'doesn't believe any state should be burdened with storing the waste from others as long as the state has a storage site to deal with its own waste.'" (Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/15/07)

Obama Wrote "I Have Always Opposed Using Yucca Mountain As A Nuclear Waste Repository." In 2007, Obama wrote, "I want every Nevadan to know that I have always opposed using Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository, and I want to explain the many reasons why I've held that view. In my state of Illinois, we have faced our own issues of nuclear waste management. There are some who believe that Illinois should serve as a repository for nuclear waste from other states. My view on this subject was made clear in a 2006 letter to Sen. Pete Domenici, who at the time was chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. 'States should not be unfairly burdened with waste from other states,' I wrote. 'Every state should be afforded the opportunity to chart a course that addresses its own interim waste storage in a manner.' That is a position I hold to this day when it comes to both Illinois and Nevada." (Obama Letter To The Editor, Las Vegas Review Journal, 5/21/07)

3/23/07: Obama Said He Was Opposed To Plans To Build A Permanent Nuclear Waste Repository At Yucca Mountain. The AP reported, "Obama said he was opposed to plans to build a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The senator, whose home state has the most nuclear reactors in the nation, suggested he might support regional dump sites." (AP, 3/23/07)

JUDGE MIKVA: 80 EXELON EMPLOYEES DONATING TO OBAMA DOES NOT "SOUND LIKE A KEPT POLITICIAN"

Former Federal Judge Mikva: "There Even May Be 80 Or So Employees Of Exelon Who Are As Discontented With The Company's Public Policies." Abner Mikva wrote, "In short, the story shows that some 80 or more employees of Exelon gave individual contributions totaling $160,000. Where the other tens of thousands of Exelon employees have made contributions, if any, is unknown. (There even may be 80 or so employees of Exelon who are as discontented with the company's public policies, as am I, and based their contributions on such fact). The Obama campaign had more than 100,000 contributors in the first quarter of this year; more than 50,000 of those contributions came through the Internet, and the average of those Internet contributions was less than $25. Does that sound like a kept politician?" (Chicago Sun-Times, 5/14/07)

CLINTON HAS TAKEN THOUSANDS FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATOR NRG ENERGY AND NRG CEO DAVID CRANE IS A BUNDLER FOR THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN

Clinton Has Accepted Thousands In Contributions From NRG Energy Inc., Which Is The First Company To File An Application For A New Nuclear Power Plant In The United States Since The Three Mile Island Accident; Clinton's Position On Nuclear Power Has Confounded Critics Who See A Contradiction In Her Opposition To Yucca But Not To Expansion In Nuclear Power. "At a South Carolina town hall in February, Clinton expressed concerns about waste disposal but noted that 'nuclear power has to be a part of our energy solution.' Clinton has accepted thousands in contributions from the nuclear industry, including nearly $80,000 in this election from employees and a PAC of NRG Energy Inc., the first company to file an application for a new nuclear power plant in the United States since before the Three Mile Island accident. Critics see a contradiction in Clinton's opposition to a facility to store nuclear waste, but not to expansion of nuclear power, which would generate more waste." (AP, 11/13/07)

David Crane, The President And CEO Of NRG Energy, A Nuclear Power Company, Has Raised At Least $100,000 For Clinton And Made A $4,600 Contribution. David Crane, a "Hillraiser" for the Clinton campaign, is the president and CEO of NRG Energy Inc. Crane donated $4,600 on March 31, 2007 to Clinton's campaign. NRG Energy Inc. is the first company to file an application for a new nuclear power plant in the United States since before the Three Mile Island accident. (Center for Responsive Politics; AP, 11/13/07; White House For Sale)

NRG Energy PAC Donated $10,000 To Clinton's Presidential Campaign. NRG Energy PAC donated $5,000 on 3/23/07 and $5,000 on 3/24/07 to Clinton's campaign. (FEC)

NRG COMMITTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE

NRG Committed $5 Million To The Clinton Global Initiative In The First Year And $175 Million Total. (Clinton Global Initiative)

OTHER NUCLEAR ENERY COMPANIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN

Nuclear Energy Institute Consultant Donated $1,000 To Clinton's Presidential Campaign. Simone Hannah, a consultant for the Nuclear Energy Institute donated $1,000 to Clinton's campaign on 9/27/07. (FEC)

Entergy Corporation PAC Donated $2,500 To Clinton's Presidential Campaign. Entergy Corporation PAC donated $2,500 to Clinton's campaign on 11/27/07. (FEC)

Entergy Corporation PAC Donated $$3,920 To Clinton's Senate Campaign. Entergy Corporation PAC donated $1,000 to Clinton's campaign on 2/1/01, $1,000 on 2/14/01, $1,000 on 3/17/05, $420 on 11/14/05 and $500 on 7/13/06. (FEC)

General Atomics PAC Donated $2,000 To Clinton's Senate Campaign In 2006. General Atomics PAC donated $2,000 to Clinton's Senate campaign on 3/23/06. (FEC)

CLINTON ONLY RECENTLY CALLED FOR ACTION ON YUCCA MOUNTAIN AND NO PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE

Clinton Justified Previous Inaction On Yucca Mt. Issue, Saying It Was "A Waste Of Time To Ask Questions" To The "Republican-Controlled Congress." Hillary Clinton recently called for congressional hearings on the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. This move sparked criticism due to her failure to attend 2 previous hearings on the issue. Clinton said it would have been "a waste of time to ask questions" in the Republican-controlled Congress and that" no matter what questions were raised, there was a very strong momentum that the administration and their Republican allies in Congress... to move forward on Yucca." (Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/30/07)

Senator Questioned Clinton's Opposition To Yucca Nuclear Repository Because "She Was Missing In Action" For Repository Hearing. Senator James Inhofe, R-Okla., challenged Hillary Clinton's promise to "not go forward" with the proposed Nevada nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain because she failed to attend 2 nuclear waste hearings held by her committee on Environment and Public Works. Senator Grey said: "When Senator Clinton had the opportunity to ask 'hard questions' of administration officials about Yucca Mountain, she was missing in action." The Clinton team said her absences were because of "important Senate business on behalf of her constituents, and issues of national importance." (Las Vegas Review Journal, 7/26/07)