McCain Dooms Yucca To Reid's Delight

NYT: So it was no small victory for Mr. Reid when Senator John McCain of Arizona, the former Republican presidential nominee and a big proponent of the nuclear storage area, declared on Tuesday that Yucca Mountain was no longer a realistic option given the opposition of the Obama administration. Mr. McCain said he still favored the use of Yucca Mountain for nuclear waste, but urged other options so that the United States could move to expand its use of nuclear energy.

“Nuclear power is a critical component in securing our nation’s energy future and reducing greenhouse gas emission and I believe that moving forward on Yucca Mountain is a key step in growing a strong nuclear industry,” Mr. McCain said in a statement. “However, if opponents of Yucca Mountain are going to hold this project hostage, then we shouldn’t be charging the American taxpayer and utilities for this facility.”