Gibbons wants probe of Yucca contract
Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.
Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., has called for a General Accounting Office investigation into a $16 million contract awarded to a Washington, D.C., law firm that represents a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository contractor.
A month ago the Department of Energy awarded the contract for an estimated 38,900 hours of legal work to the Washington office of Winston & Strawn to review the license application for a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
The DOE expects to submit the application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after 2003 for building and operating a repository for 70,000 tons of highly radioactive waste.
The review may be complicated by the opposition to the project, observers noted.
Last week a competitor for the review contract filed a complaint that Winston & Strawn could not complete an independent review of the application because the firm had helped in its preparation.
TRW Environmental Safety Services Inc., a DOE engineering contractor, dug the 5-mile-long exploratory tunnel at the site and prepared the application. TRW, in turn, hired Winston & Strawn to review its work.
Gibbons termed the issue a conflict of interest.
"A conflict of interest is an absolute understatement," the congressman said in a statement. "What's next? Allowing the nuclear waste lobbyists to set radiation standards? I don't think so.
"Before Congress considers any further action on nuclear waste legislation, the General Accounting Office needs to present a full review to the American people," Gibbons said, referring to legislation pending in the Senate that could bring waste to the mountain three years early.
The General Accounting Office is the investigative arm for Congress.
A spokeswoman for Winston & Strawn in Chicago referred all questions to the DOE.
The Energy Department responded in a written statement that it had not reviewed the protest but would respond by Nov. 4.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Wynns agree on ‘amicable’ split of assets in divorce
- Could the game be partly to blame for addiction?
- Sluggish starts plague Rebels in early games this season
- Report: LV home prices fall despite increases nationwide
- Funeral procession for slain officer includes Las Vegas Strip
- Boyd Gaming sues man over Internet domain name
- General Growth moving subsidiaries out of bankruptcy protection
- Bellagio sues company over alleged trademark infringement
- Justin Hawkins is a Rebel with many causes
- NASCAR running an uphill race with seasons that are too long
Blogs
The Kats Report
'DWTS' champ Donny Osmond still deft afoot in return to Flamingo (1 Comment)
Politics: The Early Line
Meeting of GOP governors draws challengers, not Gibbons (1 Comment)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Oscar loves forcing developers to sign labor peace agreements, Culinary loves the city's downtown plans and all is forgiven (1 Comment)
Now and Then
Underdog is open on a post pattern
Miech Again
Kruger contract altered in September (1 Comment)
Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch
Photo Gallery: Donny Osmond brings DWTS trophy to Las Vegas
High School Sports Scene
Prep Football: State Semifinals Picks (3 Comments)
Calendar »
- 25 Wed
- 26 Thu
- 27 Fri
- 28 Sat
- 29 Sun
-
Food drive at LAX
LAX Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Judge Jules at Godskitchen
Body English | 10:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Univision TV hosts at Blush
Blush Boutique Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Mischieve Wednesdays at T&T
Tacos and Tequila
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati













