Forty-six Idaho state legislators signed a letter on August 17 urging state leadership to pursue a U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus. The signers, representing nearly half of the 105-member legislature, addressed their correspondence to Governor Brad Little and Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke.
The group pledged to advance legislation, secure funding mechanisms, establish permitting authority, and invest in workforce development to position Idaho as a host site. The U.S. Department of Energy announced in July that Idaho is among the finalists for the campus designation.
Bipartisan Support and Opposition
The support letter was signed by 40 Republican legislators and two Democrats: State Senators Ali Rabe of Boise and James Ruchti of Pocatello. Senate President Pro Tem Kelly Anthon of Rupert and House Speaker Mike Moyle of Star also endorsed the initiative.
State Senator Dave Lent, a Republican from Idaho Falls, emphasized the state’s competitive advantages. A retired nuclear facility training manager, Lent pointed to Idaho National Laboratory’s 75-year history of research, safety, and innovation.
“If you look at all of the aspects, and that includes the workforce, the location, facilities and expertise, we are a standout (potential host site) there,” Lent said.
Representative Erin Bingham, also from Idaho Falls, supported the project as an economic driver capable of creating jobs for the state.
Waste Storage Concerns
Hosting the campus would require Idaho to accept and store spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. If three states are selected for the program, each could be responsible for approximately 33,000 tons of such material.
State Representative Monica Church, a Democrat from Boise, opposed the project, citing risks to public health and the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. Church referenced the 1995 Settlement Agreement between the state and federal government, which she said limits waste imports.
“The thing Idahoans need to understand most is that agreement is not only protecting Idaho writ large, it also is protecting our aquifer,” Church said.
Governor Little has stated that protecting the Snake aquifer is “nonnegotiable.”
Officials at Idaho National Laboratory declined to be interviewed for this report.