E772 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 10, 2001 Aside from the earthquakes and the poten- The further we investigate Yucca Mountain, to the community. That ensures the commu- tial for volcanic eruption, an aquifer flows be- the more money we spend, the more obvious nity is prosperous in the long term,’’ said Jen- neath the mountain, with water moving so rap- it becomes that Yucca Mountain is not the an- kins. idly that even with all engineered barriers, ra- swer. Mr. Speaker, for years the Montrose Eco- diation will unavoidably escape the repository Scientific evidence and ongoing investiga- nomic Development Council has helped small, and contaminate our water table. This fact is tions continue to shed doubt on the feasibility local businesses achieve their American underscored by a U.S. Geological Survey re- of a Yucca Mountain Repository. Now is not Dream, and with that, the City of Montrose is port entitled ‘‘Flooding in the Amargosa River the time to increase this budget, while the experiencing a period of economic growth that Drainage Basin, February 23–24, 1998, South- GAO continues to investigate, and science benefits everyone. For that, they deserve our ern Nevada and Eastern California, including continues to condemn this plan. I again re- thanks and praise. the Nevada Test Site.’’ This document, which quest that federal agencies change their f I would like to include with my statement, de- course, and stop trying to fit a square peg in HONORING DAN PENRY ON HIS tails two floods, one in 1995, and one in 1998, a round hole. Instead of trying to change the RETIREMENT that, would have had severe repercussions on rules to keep the proposed plan alive, they the proposed repository. Most notable is the should immediately begin the decommis- conclusion that, ‘‘Both the 1995 and 1998 sioning of the Yucca Mountain Project. HON. SCOTT McINNIS OF COLORADO floods indicate . . . that the Amargosa River, f with contributing streamflow from one or more IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES among Beatty, Fortymile, and Topopah Wash- PERSONAL EXPLANATION Thursday, May 10, 2001 es, has the potential to transport dissolved Mr. MCINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to and particulate material well beyond the HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ take this moment to recognize an individual boundary on NTS and the Yucca Mountain OF ILLINOIS who throughout the course of his career—and area during periods of moderate to severe IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES indeed his life—has served the citizens of the streamflow.’’ Yet once again, in clear English, Wednesday, May 9, 2001 United States with great distinction, Mr. Dan scientific evidence condemns the Yucca plan. Penry. After over 25 years of service as a In addition to the mounting scientific evi- Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I was un- Federal Probation and Parole officer, Dan is dence against Yucca Mountain, there are also avoidably absent from this chamber when roll set to begin a much-deserved retirement at ongoing General Accounting Office investiga- call votes number 87, 90, 91, 100 and 101 the end of this May. As family, friends and col- tions into mismanagement by senior staff, and were cast. I want the record to show that had leagues gather to celebrate his accomplished a review of the Inspector General’s report on I been present in this chamber at the time tenure with the federal courts, I too would like bias at the DOE. these votes were cast, I would have voted to pay tribute to Dan and thank him for his The first issue was brought to my attention ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 87, ‘‘yes’’ on roll service. Clearly, his hard work is deserving of by an anonymous letter I received at my office call vote 90, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote 91, ‘‘no’’ on thanks and praise of Congress. from an individual who appears to be highly roll call vote 100 and ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote Born in Detroit, Michigan to Marian and knowledgeable about the Yucca Mountain Nu- 101. Fred Penry, Dan moved to Fairhope, Alabama clear Waste Site Characterization Project. The f at a young age, a place he would call home letter reflects a high level of expertise and first throughout his formative years. Growing up in hand knowledge. It is alarming to say the HONORING THE CITY OF Alabama with five brothers—Leonard, Fred, least. Among the allegations are the lack of MONTROSE, COLORADO Pete, Jim and Tom—Dan was a wonderfully oversight in relation to the continually esca- gifted young athlete, a talent shared by all of lating lifetime costs for storing nuclear waste HON. SCOTT McINNIS his brothers. He would go on to a noteworthy at the mountain, unnecessary travel abroad by OF COLORADO athletic career at Fairhope High School, let- senior level managers, lack of experience and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tering in four sports as a schoolboy—football, technical background of those in charge of the Thursday, May 10, 2001 basketball, baseball and track. To this day, project, and an adversarial relationship be- Dan and his brothers are remembered for their tween managers of the project—and this very Mr. MCINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to athletic prowess during their high school days. body—the Nuclear Waste Technical Review take this opportunity to congratulate the City of After graduating from high school, Dan ex- Board. The General Accounting Office is still Montrose, Colorado on receiving the ‘Small perienced first hand the defining experience of in the process of investigating these very seri- Community of the Year’ award from the Eco- his generation—the Vietnam War. Drafted into ous charges. nomic Developers’ Council of Colorado. the United States Army, he served America in As for the second issue, as you are likely Montrose was given this honor for its eco- Vietnam as a Military Police Officer stationed aware by now, the Inspector General has nomic activity through out the year. in, among other places, the City of Saigon. found that there were several statements in Every year the EDC honors a small commu- Dan broke away from the war effort in Sep- the draft Overview and a note which was at- nity that has distinguished itself in economic or tember of 1966 on a brief furlough to marry tached to one version of the Overview, that community development. ‘‘The Montrose Eco- Linda Smart, his beautiful wife of the last 34 ‘‘could be viewed as suggesting a premature nomic Development Council has shown itself plus years. After marrying in Hawaii, Dan re- conclusion regarding the suitability of Yucca to be one of the most effective, viable and re- turned immediately to Vietnam, finishing out Mountain.’’ Of particular concern to me is the sponsible economic development programs in his tour just as he had started it—with honor section of the I.G.’s report that states, ‘‘Based Colorado,’’ said Don Dunshee, president of and distinction. on Correspondence received by the Office of the state council, in a Daily Sentinel article. After returning Stateside, Dan immediately the Inspector General, it is fair to observe that, Clearly, the Montrose EDC has been the driv- enrolled in college, earning his undergraduate at least in some quarters, public confidence in ing force behind Montrose’s prosperity. degree from Metro State College in Denver the Department’s (DOE) evaluation of Yucca In 2000, MEDC facilitated four deals that by and Master’s from the University of Northern Mountain has eroded.’’ The IG also noted dis- 2005 will have contributed more than $12 mil- Colorado in a matter of only a few years. incentives at DOE for Yucca Mountain em- lion in annual payroll to Montrose. It retained Thereafter, he went to work for the Texas ployees to question assumptions, or to, in any three local companies and recruited a New Commission of the Blind, eventually moving to way, ‘‘rock the boat.’’ Jersey manufacturer, generating 117 addi- the United States Courts as a federal parole The Inspector General’s report serves to un- tional jobs. Also in 2000 the MEDC launched officer where he’s worked ever since. derscore what Nevadans have been saying its new five-year prosperity plan, which pre- Mr. Speaker, for the last 25 years Dan since the origins of the ‘‘Screw Nevada’’ bill. dicts a $188.4 billion return to the area’s econ- Penry has served his community, state and Politics plays the leading role in determining omy on an investment of $2 million. ‘‘It’s that nation well as a United States Probation Offi- the fate of the Yucca Mountain project. can do attitude that we possess, I think, that cer. While asserting a genuine toughness with It is pointless to discuss how we can restore this award reflects,’’ said Steve Jenkins, exec- his parolees, Dan has also shown a compas- the public confidence into this doomed project. utive director of the MEDC. sionate side, earning the respect and, in many The American public has seen behind the cur- In 2001, the MEDC is implementing its cases, the friendship of those who have com- tain, and we cannot erase from our memory ‘‘Cornerstone Initiative’’ to shepherd economic mitted themselves to true rehabilitation. Dan that we have seen a tainted process, driven growth into the future. ‘‘What we want to do is has been a tireless worker throughout his ten- by politics, with questionable scientific merit. create the right type of jobs without the impact ure, covering a field area that looks an awful
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