MOX Termination on the Move in U.S. Senate
Senate Energy & Water chairman and ranking member vs $enator “MOXie” Graham, who stands alone in defending MOX waste for his client (CB&I AREVA MOX Services) —–
—– Oh the Shame for Graham!
Senate E&W chairman Senator Alexander (R-TN) presented the MOX termination proposal approved by the Senate Energy & Water Development Subcommittee to the full Senate Appropriations Committee during “Consideration of Funding Guidelines, Markup of the FY18 Energy & Water Development, and FY18 Agriculture Appropriations Bills” – audio linked here
Senator Alexander outlined reasons for terminating the MOX boondoggle and that $12 billion is yet to be spent on the MOX plant construction and that yearly costs for the debacle could be $800 million to $1 billion/year. All of that is money that doesn’t exist. Senator “MOXie” Graham has failed to explain where those funds will come from, how construction and schedule problems can be overcome, how bleeding of personnel can be stopped or how the facility could ever be started and operated. The project is on life support and bleeding but Graham has no plan to save it, rather he only wants to keep the waste going for another year.
Over to Senator MOXie to defend the ugly MOX albatross hanging so heavily around his neck….
Senator Graham FAKE NEWS ALERT! Update at 12:17 p.m. – Senator MOXie claims MOX plant is 70% complete and, yet again, provides NO documentation about that. He howls and whines about E&W’s $270 million appropriation to terminate MOX. He says that termination would mean the massive MOX plant will just be sitting there unused. Once again, Graham fails to admit that he has kept the boondoggle going well after it should have been terminated years ago. Uh oh, Graham defended Putin and falsely claims it’s E&W that is breaking the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) when it was Russia that withdrew from the agreement in October 2016. Graham goes on to make the false claim that MOX = disarmament. (MOX does not drive disarmament, rather it’s the other way around.) Graham withdraws his pro-MOX boondoggle amendments and says he will fight on the floor to save the MOX zombie.
Senator Feinstein responds with facts about the MOX project schedule & cost and that the MOX cost projection is $47 billion over the next 40 years – project “vastly over budget and unlikely to proceed.” Feistein underscores that MOX has been debated year after year after year. mentions new cost estimate – from GAO & that “experts brought in last night” to discuss this. MOxie responds with more “facts” – cost isn’t near as high and can be completed, need a review of construction – again he presents NO DOCUMENTATION to support his plea. it’s clear his goal is to drag out payment to CB&I AREVA MOX Services as long as possible.
If you have any new GAO cost estimate please send to srswatch@gmail.com
Appropriations mark-up website – detailed documents not yet posted, July 20, 2017:
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/consideration-of-funding-guidelines-markup-of-the-fy18-energy-and-water-development-and-fy18-agriculture-appropriations-bills