Comparison is ill conceived

The Sept. 1 letter “Take page from Alaska playbook” urges Nevada to reconsider its 40-year opposition to storing high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. Alaskans, the writer argues, receive an annual check funded by “Big Oil” in exchange for their support of the Trans Alaskan Pipeline and more oil exploration. Nevadans could receive a similar benefit by accepting high-level nuclear waste in exchange for benefits, the letter contends.

With great respect, the comparison between high-level nuclear waste and oil is misplaced. High-level nuclear waste is deadly for thousands of years, oil is not.

As the newly elected governor in 1983, I began the fight against storing high-level waste at Yucca Mountain. The six governors who have followed me, Democrat and Republican, have reaffirmed Nevada’s opposition. The health and safety of Nevadans are not negotiable.

The Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects has filed 219 objections to storing high-level nuclear waste upon safety and other technical issues at Yucca Mountain.

As a footnote, Yucca Mountain was not selected as the result of a scientific evaluation, it was political muscle. The other two states considered were Washington and Texas. Jim Wright of Texas was speaker of the House and Tom Foley of Washington was majority leader. Southern Nevada’s lone congressman was Jim Bilbray. He was summoned to a meeting with Wright and Foley. At the meeting he was informed that the nuclear waste would not be sent to Washington or Texas. Leaving the meeting, Bilbray lamented, “We’ve been screwed.” How right he was.

The writer served as the 25th governor of Nevada, from 1983 to 1989.