Letter: Let’s make sure Nevada benefits from a nuke dump

Monday, April 21, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The Department of Energy continues to study Yucca Mountain as the nation's first repository. This has gone on for more than 15 years and the tunnel-boring machine is expected to hit daylight next month. All the studies done by scientists to date show the site is going to be suitable.

The talented work force at the Test Site is eager to take on the challenge of nuclear waste storage. They have the technology to solve this national problem. This site is well suited for this purpose. What a waste of taxpayer dollars if this site is abandoned completely.

The fight to stop the project was valiant at first, but the strategy no longer fits the facts and reality of the situation. Yucca Mountain is ultimately inevitable. Federico Pena, the new Energy secretary, proved that when he told Congress he knows of no show-stoppers at the site and is pleased with the progress being made in the tunnel.

What we need is progress, to make sure we as Nevadans benefit from having Nevada used to solve the national problem of nuclear waste storage.

Robert Brown