Nevada Senators Introduce "Jobs, Not Waste Act" to Permanently Block Yucca Mountain Repository

CARSON CITY, NV — Nevada U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto introduced landmark federal legislation on Tuesday aimed at permanently preventing Yucca Mountain from ever being utilized as a national nuclear waste dump.

The bill, titled the Jobs, Not Waste Act, seeks to formally codify recent federal administrative shifts away from the long-contested Nye County site and pivot the property toward economic development.

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|          JOBS, NOT WASTE ACT LEGISLATIVE MATRIX         |
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|  - Bill Sponsors: Sens. Jacky Rosen & Cortez Masto     |
|  - Target Location: Yucca Mountain (Nye County, NV)    |
|  - Primary Action: Mandates Full Termination of NRC    |
|                   Licensing Proceedings                |
|  - Mandated Action: DOE Land Reclamation & OMB Study    |
|  - Economic Goal: Transition Site to Commercial Uses   |
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Terminating Licensing and Reclaiming Public Lands

If enacted, the legislation would require the Department of Energy (DOE) to immediately withdraw its licensing application before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and begin environmental remediation across the site.

Furthermore, the measure directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to analyze viable commercial, scientific, and industrial alternatives for the land that could generate high-wage jobs for Nevadans.

“Nevadans have always been clear that we will not allow nuclear waste to be stored at Yucca Mountain,” stated Senator Jacky Rosen. “This legislation ensures we permanently close the door on Yucca Mountain while looking toward innovative uses that bolster our economy.”

Capitalizing on Federal Policy Shifts

The legislative push follows a recent Department of Energy announcement confirming that five states have agreed to explore alternative consent-based storage options in exchange for federal civil nuclear infrastructure investments.

State leaders emphasized that passing federal legislation remains essential to guarantee long-term protection for Southern Nevada’s environment and transportation corridors.

Source: Office of Senator Jacky Rosen, U.S. Senate Press Filings, Las Vegas Sun State Wire.