The US house of representatives has approved the fiscal 2008 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
Passed with a 312-112 vote, the bill provides over three billion dollars to address global climate change from the total $30.3 billion
The bulk of the funding, $25.243 billion, goes to the Department of Energy, up $1.150 billion on 2007 and $480 million above the President’s request.
Reducing dependence on foreign oil will receive $1.9 billion, $638 million above the President’s request and $400 million above 2007.
Nuclear energy will get $639.2 million, $232.5 million above the President’s request and $324.5 million above 2007, including funding for a Next Generation Nuclear Power Plant at the Idaho National Lab. Yucca Mountain will also receive $494.5 million, $48.8 million above 2007, matching the administration’s request for nuclear waste disposal. However, funding for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) will be cut to $120 million, $285 million below the President’s request and $47.5 million below 2007 for the initiative to reprocess spent nuclear fuel and burn long-lived radioactive materials. Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) will get $167.8 million, a cut of $263.5 million below the President’s request and $115.1 million below 2007 because the Administration asked for more than could be spent in 2008 and last year’s funds are sufficient to continue construction.
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