Gov. Matt Bevin came to Paducah Wednesday to sign the “Robert J. Leeper Act” lifting Kentucky’s 33-year-old moratorium on nuclear power plant construction.
The Paducah community has long advocated for an end to the nuclear ban and the economic opportunities it could bring, particularly because of the trained workforce that has been employed for decades at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
[…]
For his part, Bevin called the legislation “an easy bill to sign. This was the right thing to do, frankly, for this community and the right thing to do for Kentucky. It was the right thing to do for America for that matter. We are well-positioned to be able to take advantage of this.”
According to Rudy, “There is definitely a renaissance in the (nuclear) industry. There’s a lot in store, not just the typical old reactors like Three Mile Island. There’s a lot being done with technology and research and development. This will send a clear signal Kentucky is OK with the nuclear industry and hopefully put us on the map.”
Watkins said: “I was glad to be a part of it. I’m so happy for our community. It was our No. 1 priority, and we finally got it signed into law. I do look forward to seeing the benefits from it in the future. I think it will move Kentucky forward in the area of energy production and move the United States to become the energy powerhouse we should be.”
