Oregon groups oppose proposed small modular reactor in Umatilla County

In 1980, Oregon approved Measure 7 which banned building new nuclear reactors. However, state legislators are now considering a proposal allowing the construction of a small modular reactor in Umatilla County. Environmental groups, native leaders, and northeast Oregon communities are strongly opposed to the proposal, and on Monday (May 19) they organized a series of protests near the State Capitol, meeting with legislators and calling for more investment in clean energy alternatives. Small modular reactors are cheaper than traditional gigawatt-scale reactors, but a recent study found they also produce a greater volume of waste. According to House Bill 2410, the proposal debated by Oregon legislators, high-level radioactive waste would be stored on the reactor site so long as the federal operating license is in force. However, this measure does not solve the issue of permanent storage. Kelly Campbell, policy director of the environmental advocacy group Columbia Riverkeeper, said this endangers the health of residents of Umatilla County, which is already one of the most polluted places in Oregon.
Measure 7 allows the construction of new reactors only under two conditions: the building of a national waste repository and the formal approval by Oregon voters of a new nuclear plant site certificate.