Governor, delegation cautiously optimistic about nuke dump move

CARSON CITY - Nevada political leaders say they're "cautiously optimistic" about a Clinton administration move to block temporary storage of nearly 40,000 tons of nuclear waste in the state.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson told a Senate hearing Thursday that the administration opposes temporary storage in Nevada and is willing to assume ownership and management of the highly radioactive waste at power plants in 34 other states.

Richardson said the next step is to determine suitability of a permanent site for the used reactor fuel at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Even if acceptable, the site wouldn't be ready until 2010 at the earliest.

"His proposal does what we have been arguing for years is the best policy to follow," said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. "It proposes to store the waste on site at the reactors where it is being produced."

"By stopping temporary storage, Nevada will be able to marshal our forces to fight the permanent repository at Yucca Mountain," added Reid, No. 2 Democrat in the Senate.

Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., added he's encouraged by Richardson's proposal and "receptive to any proposal that derails the nuclear express that was headed for Nevada."

"This is an encouraging concept, but nothing is in writing," Bryan said. "We need to monitor all these discussions closely as this develops."

Gov. Kenny Guinn, who just held a summit on the need for a united fight against the dump, said Richardson's plan is encouraging and makes more sense than "shipping the waste through countless communities destined for interim storage in Nevada."

Guinn also sent a letter to Richardson urging that Yucca Mountain be disqualified as a permanent site, noting concerns about earthquake activity and possible groundwater contamination if waste storage casks failed.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," added Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev. "On the surface it looks very good for Nevada, but I need to fully review Mr. Richardson's proposal before supporting it."

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., termed the new proposal "a sensible and workable alternative to dumping in Nevada" and added it will "get the threat of interim storage off the backs of Nevadans."

Temporary and permanent storage of the nuclear waste has been pushed heavily by the nuclear energy industry for several years, and has been fought just as vigorously by Nevada.

Former Gov. Bob Miller, a key figure in the anti-dump effort, said Richardson reiterated the strong stand taken by President Clinton, who had threatened to veto any Nevada temporary storage bill that reached his desk.

"Frankly, if we didn't have that strong support we would have nuclear waste shipments rolling down our streets now," Miller added.

While Richardson opposes the temporary storage, a recent DOE report said there's nothing to disqualify the plan to permanently bury the waste in Nevada.

No final decision on whether Yucca Mountain will be used as a permanent dump will be made until 2001, after further research and a formal environmental impact review. Already, $2.2 billion has been spent on the project, which is estimated to cost more than $18 billion to build and operate.

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