The FY09 House Energy and Water Bill specifically denies funds for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), a large-scale DOE initiative to increase the use of nuclear power worldwide by importing spent nuclear fuel from countries across the globe for reprocessing in the United States. In the bill’s explanatory language the Energy and Water Subcommittee clearly expresses their opinion of GNEP and reprimands DOE’s promotion of the program stating, “The committee does not support the Department’s rushed, poorly-defined, expansive and expensive Global Nuclear Energy Partnership proposal.”  Further, the committee argues DOE has “squandered funds” provided to them and ignored the committees’ instructions on how previously appropriated funds were to be used. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The Energy and Water Subcommittee goes on to explain that while they support continued research on advanced fuel cycles and the recycling of spent nuclear fuel (providing $90 million to Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative), they explicitly oppose funds for facilities, and any use of funds for GNEP.  Further, they restrict the use of any funds for the recruitment of countries into GNEP, noting that the Committee only supports work with countries that are currently reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.

Here is what the House Bill included:

$90 million for Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI)
$0   funds to be used for GNEP