Washington, D.C.- Idaho Senator Jim Risch sent a letter supporting the proposed Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility that would be located near Idaho Falls. The letter will be entered into the record at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's public hearing today.

Risch said that sitting on the Senate Energy Committee allows him to hear firsthand the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time increase energy production for the country.

"We need to have a dependable source of energy for our country that does not emit greenhouse gases. Nuclear energy does that. But we also need a reliable source of enriched uranium to fuel our nuclear plants and the Eagle Rock facility will meet that need," said Risch. "I am confident that all of the environmental impacts of this facility can be adequately addressed and the building of this facility can move forward. It will be a great benefit to our country in supplying fuel to our reactors, and to our state and local communities for the positive economic benefits it will bring."

Estimates by the Regional Development Alliance show the project would create 1,000 jobs during construction of the plant and 550 for permanent operations. An economic impact study the Alliance conducted showed that $3 billion would be generated in the regional economy and that 575 indirect jobs would be created to service the plant and its employees.

Nuclear energy provides 20% of the electrical energy in the United States.

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