Senator Bates said, “California has waited for years for the federal government to do its job and help move the state’s nuclear waste away from densely populated and environmentally sensitive areas. The Legislature must add its voice for action and I’m pleased to partner with Senator Bill Monning to urge passage of pending legislation in Congress. Safeguarding our coast from the dangers of nuclear waste should not be a partisan issue.”
In 2016, Senator Bates authored Senate Joint Resolution 23 that urged the passage of a similar federal bill called the Interim Consolidated Storage Act (H.R. 4745). Former Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA 49) supported H.R. 4745 but it did advance beyond the U.S. House.
The State Senate will consider SJR 11 before it adjourns for the year on September 13, 2019.