'Corruption And Conflicts Of Interest Are Happening In Plain View': Sheldon Whitehouse Slams EPA Nom

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) spoke about Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator Nominee Usha-Maria Turner's former boss, Expand Energy CEO Domenic Dell'Osso, Jr., who was present at a Trump Campaign fundraiser alongside other oil industry execs.

Transcript

00:00I will now recognize Ranking Member Whitehouse for his opening statement.

00:05Thank you, Chair Capito, and thank you both for being here today.

00:08The United States is on the cusp of a domestic nuclear renaissance.

00:12We are seeing remarkable innovation in and appetite for nuclear power, and it's just in time.

00:19Nuclear is an important tool to cut emissions in the power and industrial sectors.

00:23It's also key to meeting our nation's power needs safely.

00:27Demand for electricity is expected to increase more than 50% through 2050.

00:32And without alternative sources like nuclear, we will be unable to sustain our economic growth.

00:37Many of us in Congress have been working for years on a bipartisan basis

00:41to prepare the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for this moment.

00:45I have been the Democratic lead on the past three major bipartisan nuclear reform bills passed into law.

00:52The Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act with Senator Crapo,

00:57the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act with Senator Barrasso,

01:00and the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy with our Chair.

01:06These laws well position the NRC for an era of renewed, safe nuclear deployment.

01:12This should be the backdrop for this renomination hearing.

01:17Unfortunately, it's not where we find ourselves.

01:19Despite so much common-sense, bipartisan work, the Trump administration has upended progress in a flamingly partisan manner.

01:28In this case, by dogeeing the NRC in flagrant disregard for nuclear safety,

01:34the bipartisan direction of Congress, and for the law.

01:37First came hyper-partisan attacks on independent regulatory agencies writ large.

01:42Then came executive orders demanding redundant, unreasonable, or legally dubious changes to American nuclear licensing.

01:49Then came the doggie staffers, without any substantive experience,

01:53barreling into the NRC and pushing out highly qualified, experienced, technical senior staff.

01:59And then came the illegal and baseless firing of NRC Commissioner and former Chair Chris Hansen,

02:04the first removal of any NRC Commissioner in its 50-year history.

02:08The NRC ought to be a stable pillar of America's nuclear renaissance.

02:14Anyone in the nuclear industry will tell you that safety and public trust are foundational

02:17to the continued, safe operation of our existing nuclear fleet,

02:21let alone our overdue progress into new reactors and technologies.

02:25To ensure that we can build and operate nuclear reactors safely

02:29while also powering our communities with clean, reliable electricity,

02:32Congress separated the regulatory entity, the NRC, from the technology promoter, the DOE.

02:37The separation ensures we can lead the world on nuclear innovation and maintain effective oversight.

02:43The tumult at the NRC is not what members on either side of the aisle wanted.

02:49It has created chaos that will introduce unnecessary procedural roadblocks

02:53and slow down nuclear licensing.

02:56It will push out expert staff at a time when we need to retain all current talent

03:01and attract new expertise to oversee the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies.

03:07It will add legal and regulatory uncertainty that will impede project development,

03:12and that's saying nothing of the myriad other ways that other cuts to IRA tax credits,

03:17DOE's loan programs office, and other key programs will undermine nuclear deployment in America.

03:22All that said, Chairman Wright, I support the President's re-nomination of you.

03:27You are a qualified nominee.

03:29I hope that you can address the current upheaval quickly

03:31and that you can actually lead the agency as chair.

03:35Should you be confirmed, I ask that you commit to us a bipartisan committee

03:39that will hold you to account on a bipartisan basis,

03:42that you will do as the law provides,

03:45uphold NRC independence, adhere to its mission,

03:48and effectively, efficiently, and faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress.

03:53As to Ms. Turner's nomination to lead the Office of International and Tribal Affairs at EPA,

03:58Trump's EPA, unfortunately, has become a cesspool of fossil fuel-driven corruption,

04:04even weaponizing the justice system to serve the interests of the polluters.

04:08We have reached the point where any nominee President Trump sends to EPA

04:12should be treated with skepticism.

04:14This nominee has spent her entire career working for gas utilities and fossil fuel companies,

04:20including, most recently, Chesapeake Energy,

04:23one of a handful invited to attend fossil fuel mega-donor Harold Hamm's Mar-a-Lago fundraiser,

04:29where President Trump promised big oil executives carte blanche over environmental regulations

04:34in exchange for money for his campaign.

04:37The corruption and conflicts of interest are happening in plain view.

04:41Nothing against you, Ms. Turner, but because of what's happening at EPA,

04:45I cannot support this nomination.

Category

Transcript

Recommended