Letter: Nevadans getting it from both sides on nuke waste

What bothers me about this apparent political done deal is the lack of a payoff for Nevada. The tour guides tell us that all Nevadans benefit from nuclear energy even if we don't have any plants of our own because we eat Florida oranges and Florida has A-plants. We are supposed to feel an obligation from that, but orange juice is not the payoff I had in mind.

Alaska gets economic benefits because they ran a pipeline through their state. Nevada should get some sort of rent if we're going to be the hot pellet public storage shed for the country.

The reason this state will not benefit from the Yucca Mountain deal is that the land is no longer on Nevada soil. It isn't ours anymore; the federal government annexed it and it will never be given back. We will not get paid rent for the dump and we will not get paid for the land.

Our Native Americans at least got beads and trinkets for Manhattan. Nevada citizens will take all of the risks involved in the transportation and storage without any benefits. We will not even get a kiss.

JERRY BITTS

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