AJR 1 — Expresses objection to the transfer of radioactive plutonium to this State. (BDR R-977)

(ReprintedAssemblyThompson, withYeager, amendmentsFlores, adoptedSwank; on May 23, 2019) FIRST REPRINT A.J.R.

1Assefa, ASSEMBLYBackus,nitez- JOINTBilbray-Axelrod, RESOLUTIONCarlton, NOCarrillo, .Cohen, Daly, Duran, Fumo, Gorelow, Jauregui, Martinez, McCurdy, Miller, Monroe-Moreno, Munk, Neal, Nguyen, Peters, Spiegel, Thompson, Torres and Watts FILE NUMBER..........

1–ASSEMBLYMEN FRIERSON , BENITEZ-THOMPSON , YEAGER , LORES , WANK ;

ASSEFA, BACKUS , BILBRAY -AXELROD , CARLTON , CARRILLO , COHEN , DALY , DURAN , FUMO , G ORELOW , JAUREGUI , M ARTINEZ, M CCURDY , M ILLER, MONROE -M ORENO , M UNK, N EAL, NGUYEN , PETERS, SPIEGEL, THOMPSON , TORRES AND W ATTS FEBRUARY 18, 2019 ____________ Read and Adopted SUMMARY—Expresses objection to the transfer of radioactive plutonium to this State.

(BDR R-977) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

No.

Effect on the State:

No.

~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

W HEREAS,HEREAS , Since 1954, when the Atomic Energy Act was passed by Congress, the Federal Government has been responsible for the regulation of nuclear materials, yet few environmental challenges have proven more daunting than the problems posed by the storage and disposal of nuclear materials;

and W HEREAS,HEREAS , The transportation of highly radioactive, weapons- grade plutonium to the Nevada National Security Site in southern Nevada poses serious and unacceptable risks to the environment, the economy and the health and welfare of the residents of the State of Nevada;

and W HEREAS,HEREAS , The United States Department of Energy failed to fulfill its statutory obligations pursuant to 50 U.S.C.

and - *AJR1_R1* – 2 – W HEREAS , In April 2018, the Department of Energy informed the State of Nevada of a potential proposal to ship defense plutonium from the State of South Carolina to the State of Nevada;

andandW W HEREAS , In August 2018, the Department of Energy publicly announced in the release of the “Supplement Analysis for the Removal of One Metric Ton of Plutonium from the State of South Carolina to Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico” its intent to transfer up to 1 metric ton of plutonium from South Carolina to Nevada or Texas;

and W HEREAS , In its Supplement Analysis from August 2018, the United States Department of Energy declined to prepare an environmental impact statement for the transportation to and - 80th Session (2019) – 2 – indefinite storage of up to 1 metric ton of highly radioactive, weapons-grade plutonium in this State, failing to consider any of at least five alternatives which would pose a lower risk of environmental damage and failing to update previous studies to account for the health and safety risks of the indefinite storage of 1 metric ton of highly radioactive, weapons-grade plutonium at the Nevada National Security Site, less than 100 miles away from the Las Vegas metropolitan area which hosts over 2,200,000 residents and more than 42,000,000 tourists each year;

and W HEREAS , The State of Nevada expressed its strong opposition to a transfer of South Carolina defense plutonium to the State and commenced discussions with the Department of Energy to address the concerns of the State with the transfer of the South Carolina defense plutonium, during which the Department of Energy assuredassureda the State of Nevada that the Department would not commence the shipment of the plutonium;

and W HEREAS , On January 30, 2019, the United States Department of Energy informed the United States District Court for the District - *AJR1_R1* – 3 – of Nevada that one-half metric ton of the plutonium had already been transferred to the Nevada National Security Site sometime before November 2018, and before the commencement of the litigation;

now, therefore, be it - 80th Session (2019) – 3 – R ESOLVED BY THE AASSEMBLY SSEMBLY AND SENATE OF THE STATES TATE OF N EVADA , OINTLY , That the Nevada Legislature protests, in the strongest possible terms, any transfer of South Carolina defense plutonium or any other highly radioactive materials, including, without limitation, high-level radioactive waste as defined in NRS 459.910, to the Nevada National Security Site in southern Nevada;

and be it further R ESOLVED , That the Nevada Legislature formally restates its strong and unyielding opposition to the storage or disposal of South Carolina defense plutonium or any other highly radioactive materials, including without limitation, high-level radioactive waste as defined in NRS 459.910, in the State of Nevada without its knowledgeknoRlESOLVED orc, consent;That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the United States Secretary of Energy and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation;

and be it further R ESOLVED , That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States as the presiding - *AJR1_R1* – 4 – officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the United States Secretary of Energy and each member of the NevRdESOLVEDes, That this resolution becomes effective upon approval.

H~~~~~ 19 - *AJR1_R1*80th Session (2019)