Yucca oversight part of spending measure

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999 | 10:31 a.m.

The Senate was expected today to consider a $22 billion bill financing energy and water projects, including about $400 million for Southern Nevada.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., a member of both the Appropriations and the joint conference committees, said he was pleased with Nevada's share.

"We were able to fund projects important to Nevada," he said. "One important goal was to fund oversight of Yucca Mountain and environmental quality activity."

The House gave its final approval to a 2000 spending bill on Monday that passed 327-87. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted in favor, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., voted against it.

The bill also contains $352.5 million so the Department of Energy can continue studies on a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. That was about $30 million more than the House had approved earlier.

Gibbons said he voted against the bill because he will continue to vote against any legislation with funds for a Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository.

Berkley said she wanted to secure flood control funding for Las Vegas, rather than repeating her opposition to Yucca Mountain. She reiterated her strong protest of building a nuclear waste repository in Nevada.

In addition to the DOE funds, 10 counties affected by the nuclear waste project are expected to split $5.4 million. The University of Nevada, Reno, could get $1 million for earthquake research near the mountain.

The state Agency for Nuclear Projects, overseeing federal work at Yucca Mountain, will receive $500,000 next year.

Another $5 million is earmarked for roadway renovation at the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The site once hosted all U.S. nuclear weapons experiments, but since a 1992 moratorium, stays ready to resume testing within three years.

Other Southern Nevada projects include:

* $29 million so the Army Corps of Engineers can continue flood control along the Flamingo and Tropicana washes, which took a heavy hit from floodwaters July 8-16. About $20 million would be available for Clark County, which has performed work along several wash segments.

The county also is installing flood channels between Interstate 15 and Charleston Boulevard as the Las Vegas Beltway is built.

Once the Senate approves this bill, it goes to the White House for the president's signature.