Energy Department opens case for water rights at proposed nuke dump

Trevor Hayes

Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999 | 10:08 a.m.

The federal Energy Department is pressing for state water rights at a proposed nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain, arguing the project is in the public's interest.

DOE official Wendy Dixon told state Engineer Mike Turnipseed, who must rule on the water-pumping request, that one national dump is better than the 77 sites around the nation where nuclear wastes are now being stored temporarily.s

"Dealing with nuclear waste is in the public interest of America," Dixon added Wednesday. "It is best to deal with it now instead of leaving it to our children."

Dixon, the agency's environmental impacts manager for the Yucca Mountain project, also said a study of possible impacts didn't consider potential harm to tourism in this tourist-dependent state.

"Perceived risk is not included in this (environmental impact statement), nor is it included in any EIS, as it is speculative in nature," said Dixon.

Nevada officials brought up the issue of economic harm, saying the high-level nuclear trash dump could cost the Las Vegas economy millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

Opponents also raised the specter of nuclear waste spilling while being transported to Yucca Mountain, in the desert 100 miles north of Las Vegas.

Turnipseed said he wouldn't deny the DOE water rights based on the possibility of some indirect risks to the public.

"I can't make any link between transportation accidents and water use with this site," said the state engineer, who will resume the hearing Monday in Carson City.

Yucca Mountain is the only site the agency is studying for storage of the nation's nuclear waste. Its efforts have been heavily backed by the nuclear energy industry.

Nevada, backed by various environmental groups, has been battling the DOE since a long-term storage facility was first proposed for southern Nevada more than a decade ago.

Critics argue it makes more sense to improve storage of most high-level waste where it's currently located, rather than to build the site at Yucca Mountain.

As the debate continues, lethal commercial waste continues to stack up at nuclear plants around the nation - now more than 42,000 tons, mostly in cooling pools not designed for permanent safekeeping.