Editorial: Congress engages in nuke waste folly

It would be shameful if Congress can't wait until a scientific investigation determines the suitability of Yucca Mountain. As the Sun's Mary Manning reported Monday, federal, state and independent scientists have just launched a two-year study to see whether water and gas trapped in rocks at Yucca Mountain can offer answers as to whether or not it is safe to store nuclear waste there. Department of Energy scientists believe the issue is so crucial they have contributed more than $1 million to the project.

If Congress tries to short-circuit the scientific probe with this legislation, which President Clinton said he will veto, it will further undermine its credibility. Far worse, though, the House committee's legislation threatens the safety of Nevadans and endangers all those citizens across the nation who live along the routes the nuclear waste would travel to get here.

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