Nuclear Waste Storage Foes Fall Short in New Mexico Legislature

A New Mexico bill to block high-level nuclear waste in the state automatically died Thursday when the legislature ended its session without a vote.

The unsuccessful measure (H.B. 127) sought to stymie Holtec International’s plans for storing radioactive material from commercial U.S. power plants by outlawing the issuance of state permits.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) and other state leaders who oppose the proposed waste facility have filed a federal lawsuit contesting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s licensing authority.

Other environmental legislation that expired with the end of the year’s regular session included:

• H.B. 6, which proposed to ...