Idaho Attorney General Candidates Discuss Nuclear Waste Site and Potential Data Center Regulations
An opinion piece discusses the Idaho Attorney General race, highlighting abortion and nuclear waste as key issues. One candidate, Lori Hickman, also laid out conditions for potential data centers at the Idaho National Laboratory, including self-sufficiency in water and electricity. The article suggests these issues may sway voters in the upcoming election.
An opinion piece by former Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones suggests that the state's attorney general race between Republican incumbent Raul Labrador and Democrat Lori Hickman may be decided by their stances on abortion and the proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovative Campus (NLIC) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
Labrador faces potential backlash for his strict enforcement of Idaho's abortion ban. Hickman, on the other hand, has expressed openness to the NLIC concept but outlined specific "red lines" concerning nuclear waste storage, water rights, and electric power for any data center located at INL. She emphasized that any data center must employ best management practices, supply its own water and electricity, and comply fully with Idaho law. These conditions aim to prevent adverse impacts on Idaho water users and electric ratepayers.
Jones raised concerns about the rapid timeline and lack of public view in developing the NLIC proposal, noting that a finalized agreement with the Department of Energy might emerge just before the November 3 election. He urged voters to carefully consider these issues before casting their ballots.