Friday, September 12, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Yucca Mountain Project hearing postponed
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the Yucca Mountain Project was postponed Thursday after lawmakers wrapped up work early this week and many went home.
The House energy and air quality subcommittee did not announce a rescheduled date for the hearing. A spokeswoman said it probably would be held "sooner rather than later" because of interest in the nuclear waste repository program.
House leaders had scheduled no floor votes for Thursday and Friday, leading many lawmakers to make plans to leave Washington at midweek and forcing postponement of a handful of meetings.
The Yucca Mountain hearing was to highlight testimony from Energy Department officials giving a status report of the repository program. The chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an executive from DOE contractor Bechtel SAIC, and a nuclear industry representative also were scheduled to speak.
Nevada's three House members also arranged invitations after initially being discouraged to testify, their offices said.
