Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

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2008 Elections

Ralph Nader on Yucca Mountain

Currently, Nader has no specific stance regarding Yucca Mountain. However, during a 1997 interview on PBS' "Frontline," he said that due to possible seismic activity, conflicting scientific data and the porous rocks, Yucca Mountain was not a viable place to store nuclear waste. He went on to say that the ideal situation would be to put the waste in a temporary place that in 50 to 100 years from now, could be reopened and separated to remove the hazardous materials. When it was pointed out that Yucca Mountain was designed to do exactly that, Nader said that it would be OK, but "only if there is an independent core of scientists, geologists, engineers, who would sign off on it, who have no ties, no ambitions, either to join the nuclear industry, to join the government agency."

Nader has opposed nuclear energy since the early '70s. He wrote a book, "The Menace of Atomic Energy," which denounced nuclear energy and promoted the use of solar energy. He wants to move the country away from its reliance on nuclear, coal, oil and electric interests.

Read More:
PBS "Frontline" interview with Nader
"Nuclear power is not the answer" by Ralph Nader

— Las Vegas Sun new media intern April Corbin compiled this report.

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