Although US president-elect Barack Obama has not outlined a plan of action to stop the Yucca Mountain repository, he has publicly opposed the site. His influence, along with Democratic majorities in Congress, could end or indefinitely delay the project. These new dynamics in Washington may also force the nuclear industry in the USA to proceed without the same government support it has recently received from the Bush administration. Unless they actually legislate on the issue, lawmakers cannot directly influence the regulatory process over Yucca Mountain, but opposition in the legislative and executive branches could thwart its progress. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) docketed the licensing application for Yucca Mountain in September, and it has three to four years to approve or reject the project.
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