Senators of both parties yesterday praised Peter Lyons, President Obama's pick to be assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the Energy Department.

"I think the president made an excellent choice in nominating Dr. Lyons," said Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.). "He's more than well qualified."

Republicans echoed Bingaman's approval.

"When Pete Lyons talks about nuclear technology, nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear weapons, everyone in any room in the world pays attention," said ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), reading from a statement by former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.).

Lyons has served as DOE's acting assistant secretary since Warren "Pete" Miller left the position last November.

With the nuclear industry facing budget cuts and mass retirements, Lyons will face many challenges if confirmed to head the nuclear energy office.

In his testimony, Lyons highlighted four goals he and Miller outlined in last year's Nuclear Energy R&D Roadmap. They include plans to extend the life and improve affordability of current reactors, develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycles and minimize risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism.

Lyons fielded questions from Bingaman, Murkowski and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) on small modular reactors and nuclear waste storage, but largely declined to take a position on the issues and instead deferred to a report to be issued this summer by Energy Secretary Steven Chu's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future.

Lyons would not comment on whether the Energy Department would support a recent bill sponsored by Bingaman and Murkowski that would pave the way for small nuclear reactors to play a bigger role in the nation's energy production. He said the legislation was highly regarded by the department but that he could not voice support without further reviewing it.

Murkowski probed the issue of interim nuclear waste storage while Yucca Mountain is off the table as a storage site.

"I think it would behoove all of us to wait and see what [the commission members] do recommend," Lyons said.

"I think we're all waiting for [the report]," Murkowski replied, "concerned though of course that as we wait, these liabilities continue to amount, to accrue, and we still don't have that permanent repository."