Committee schedules expert on small modular nuclear power after members press for more information

Members of the Planning and Economic Development Committee discussed whether to signal county openness to small modular nuclear power after a legislator asked members to sign a letter of support for further exploration. Several legislators said they had asked the planning department for a short written report by the committee's June meeting and that they would not sign letters committing the county until they received fuller, impartial information.

"Legislator Gustafson is asking all of us to sign a letter saying that we're open to small nuclear modular nuclear power in Chautauqua County," one member said during the meeting. Committee members asked planning staff to provide the requested material on a shorter timescale than the administration initially proposed.

Planning staff told the committee an expert on small modular nuclear technology will present to the committee in July. Committee members and some legislators pushed back that the committee had requested a brief staff report in April or May and that July was later than they expected. Members set an expectation that the committee receive either the staff report or an agreed deadline (committee members discussed June 17 or the June committee meeting as a target) before taking positions or signing a letter of support.

No formal vote was recorded on a letter of support. The committee directed staff to provide information and scheduled an expert presentation in July; members indicated they would evaluate any letter only after receiving information at the committee level.

The discussion underscored procedural concerns: several legislators said a single expert presentation should not substitute for the basic staff report they had requested and emphasized they would not sign commitments without additional written analysis.