Careful What You Ask For!!!
From the Response Briefs filed by those parties in opposition to the NRC’s review of the ASLB June 29, 2010 Order and Memorandum denying DOE’s motion to withdraw the Yucca Mountain license application, one of the main arguments made is that the three newly confirmed commissioners should fully recuse themselves given their testimony at the February 9th Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing in which, in response to a question asked by Senator Boxer on behalf of Senator Reid as to whether the commissioners would second guess DOE’s withdrawal of the license, all three commissioners responded “No”.
You have to wonder what they were thinking??? Aren’t commissioners/judges suppose to refrain from pre-judging legal issues that might come before them in an adjudicatory setting.
Well,it looks like the asking and responding to what was such an obvious inappropriate question has thrown a huge monkey wrench into DOE’s plan to terminate Yucca. There’s a lot of squirming going on right now at White Flint, as to no less than the NRC’s own institution integrity appears to be at stake. Stayed tuned!!!
