He might have just helped Reid in a big way! In President Obama's budget proposal, he doesn't provide any funding for Yucca Mountain. For those that don't know what Yucca Mountain is, it's about 90 miles outside of Las Vegas, NV and it's purpose was to store highly radioactive waste aka nuclear waste. Most Nevadans have been against this idea for years. Who was our biggest political ally to fight this? Harry Reid!
Harry Reid fought for so long now against the idea of dumping nuclear waste in Nevada. For about two decades, this project had been funded by the government. And for those two decades, Reid fought strongly against it. Finally, Yucca Mountain is dead!
"The administration has determined that Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is not a workable option for a nuclear waste repository and will discontinue its program to construct a repository at the mountain in 2010" White House in budget documents said.
Yucca Mountain’s death just a few steps away
Nevadans know that this was an issue that plagued our state for quite some time. Many other states didn't care as long as it wasn't in their "backyard." Many were glad to dump it in our backyard. The perfect example of this attitude came straight from Senator John McCain. In 2007 this little exchange happened between a reporter and McCain...
Watch it at 1:14:
"Interviewer: What about the transportation? Would you be comfortable with nuclear waste coming through Arizona on its way, you know going through Phoenix, on its way to uh Yucca Mountain? McCain (Shaking Head): No, I would not. No, I would not."
Hmm...so he had a problem with it traveling through his state, but no problem with dumping it in Nevada? By the way, for those bad at geography, Arizona and Nevada border each other, so if it traveled through Arizona to come here, it would make sense.
So while many may not realize it, it's a great time for Nevada. This is a major victory for Nevadans. And Harry Reid is one of the reasons why we have gotten this major victory.
I know many on DailyKos are not too fond of Harry Reid as the Majority Leader, but he's a great senator. I'm proud he's representing my state. He's done a lot of good for my state. Also, many may say that President Obama hasn't kept his promises, but this is a promise he definitely kept.
So I send a big thank you goes out to President Obama, Majority Leader Reid, and the many others that vowed to stop this project and have done so. It may have taken two decades to stop it, but Yucca may finally be dead.
*If you want to know more about Yucca Mountain, check this out...Yucca Mountain Info