John Hoeven Asks Energy Nominee About Easing Americans’ Concerns Over Nuclear Energy Development

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During a Senate Energy Committee hearing last week, Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) questioned Theodore Garrish, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Energy, Nuclear Energy, about handling negative public perception of nuclear energy development.

Transcript

00:00At this point we'll kick off five-minute rounds of questions. I do want to check

00:03with the ranking member to see if he had anything before we begin the questions.

00:09Go ahead. Okay, thank you. Dr. Travnik, if confirmed will you prioritize the

00:16development and maintenance of Western water infrastructure to ensure

00:19communities, farmers, and ranchers continue to have access to reliable and

00:23affordable water supplies? Thank you Senator Hoeven for that question. We know

00:34that infrastructure for water supply is extremely important across the West. We

00:40were making sure in the state of North Dakota that we had resources able to

00:44make sure that we were able to get that affordable, reliable water supply to

00:47people. So if confirmed in this role, yes I'm committed to working towards that as

00:51well. Thank you. Also talk about the importance that USGS continues on a

00:58regular basis to update estimates of recoverable oil and gas reserves and

01:04talk about what you can do to continue to enhance that energy development. Senator,

01:10as it relates to the the USGS, we know that their body of work is extremely

01:15important. They play a critical role as it relates not only to the critical mineral

01:19list, but also as it relates to oil and gas assessments. So making sure that we've

01:23got the expertise on that and to be able to keep up with those studies and those

01:27demands that we're seeing to make sure that we have that dominance of energy

01:32here in America. So yes, so continue to work on that as well. What are your top

01:35three priorities? What are the top three things you're going to accomplish going

01:39into this position? Senator, if confirmed, the the top three priorities that I would be

01:44looking at, we know that there's a lot of discussion right now related to the

01:46Colorado River. We've got some looming deadlines that are in front of us next

01:50year. So we're going to have to work really closely with those seven seven

01:54states within the basin. At the same time, also the the critical minerals list. We

01:59know that that is due this year. We're going to have to be working really closely

02:02with our federal agencies, our different stakeholders, the public as we work to get

02:07that list put together, get that updated based on what we are hearing from the

02:12public. And then getting back to where we started the conversation earlier was

02:16looking at infrastructure. We know that we've got drought across the west, across

02:21the country. So we're going to have to look at all those different tools in the

02:24toolbox, making sure that we've got modernized systems out there, making sure

02:28that we're looking at aquifer recharge, looking at water reuse, wastewater. So

02:33really just looking at that suite of possibilities as we try to get water

02:37where it's needed. Thank you. Ms. Beyer, we've got a lot of resources

02:46resources in that are owned by the public, but that interface with private

02:51ownership as well. And so BLM runs across that all the time. Are you committed to

02:56maximizing access to development of those resources in a responsible manner? And

03:03will you work with me on my North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act, which helps make

03:10sure that everyone is treated fairly in that development, whether it's a public interest

03:15or a private interest? Yes, sir. Senator, I appreciated our visit about that. And if I'm

03:22confirmed, I absolutely look forward to working with you. There are multiple uses there for

03:28those lands. And, you know, if confirmed, like I said, I look forward to working with

03:34you on that. How about NEPA timelines, right? I mean, because delay can be defeat, right? We

03:39need certainty out there for everybody, for all involved. So what about these NEPA timelines and getting

03:44things done, again, in a transparent, responsible way, but getting things done?

03:48Sir, I think we can all agree that permitting should be streamlined. This committee has done

03:55extraordinary work on that. And if I'm confirmed, I hope to work with this committee moving forward.

04:01But absolutely, you know, coming from the oilfield services sector of the business, this is a 650,000-plus

04:11workforce that develops energy in the U.S. And if our companies can't get permits to produce permits to

04:21build transmission, we will be behind in answering the increasing energy demand. And so that, sir,

04:29is a top priority for me, is to be able to assist and help with getting a more reasonable timeline

04:38on our permitting system. Thank you. Mr. Garrish, how are we going to get past some of the public

04:47perceptions and concerns in regard to nuclear, or as one of my good friends and a former president

04:54used to say, nuclear energy? How are we going to develop nuclear energy and get people to be

04:59comfortable that we're developing it in a safe, reliable way with a good management plan for,

05:05you know, the nuclear waste? Well, Senator, nuclear is, in fact, one of the safest forms of energy

05:15available today. And I think it is a matter of communicating with the public and making sure

05:21that they understand what's happening. We need to make sure that we have a good public affairs component

05:28to every nuclear plant, that the community understands exactly what a nuclear plant is and what the sort

05:36of fears that they have are really unfounded. So what is the one thing you would say to people

05:41and want them to remember in regard to safely handling nuclear energy? Well, in terms of this,

05:49the record is indisputable in terms of the safety of nuclear plants. Okay. That's strong. Appreciate

05:58that very much. Thanks to all of you. And Mr. Abbey, I'm not going to have a question for you because I

06:02understand Senator Murkowski's got a lot of them. So we'll wait for that. Ranking Member Heinrich.

06:08Thank you. Thank you, Senator Hovind.

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