This is Perry’s first visit to a U.S. energy department site since filling the position.
Energy Secretary for the Trump administration, Rick Perry toured a nuclear waste dump in Nevada’s Yucca Mountain on Monday. This stands as Perry’s first visit to the regional site since he first assumed the role of energy chief.
Perry’s visit comes on the heels of President Trump’s announcement of a proposed $120 million to jump-start the licensing process for the site, which has been left in a state of neglect for more than a decade thanks to Nevada politicians.
The Daily Mail via AP reports:
Perry said he met Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a fellow Republican, at the Nevada Supreme Court building following his tour of the site. He said he and Sandoval, who are longtime friends dating to Perry’s time as governor of Texas, had a “frank and productive conversation” in which Sandoval reiterated his opposition to the project.
“Today’s meeting with Gov. Sandoval was the first step in a process that will involve talking with many federal, state, local and commercial stakeholders,” Perry said in a statement.
Sandoval followed with a statement agreeing it was a “frank conversation on an array of issues,” but added, “this meeting was not the beginning of a negotiation with regard to Yucca Mountain.”
Perry’s visit surprised some members of Nevada’s Congress as they have been unified for some time now in keeping the Yucca Mountain site closed. Despite this, it is unclear what is expected to happen with the Yucca Mountain site as well as Perry’s future involvement with the potential revitalization project.
