Murkowski tweaks Yucca nuke waste bill

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Jan. 28, 2000 | 11:26 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The sponsor of a bill that outlines a plan to bring nuclear waste to Nevada is tinkering with the legislation in an effort to get President Clinton's stamp of approval, a spokeswoman said today.

Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, hopes to launch debate on the bill next week, Murkowski spokeswoman Tina Kreisher said. The bill outlines a timeline for shipping the nation's nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, as early as 2007.

But the bill faces a veto threat from President Clinton, as well as stiff opposition from Sens. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., and Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Clinton doesn't like that the bill would require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and not the Environmental Protection Agency, to set radiation standards at Yucca Mountain. The EPA standards would be stricter.

"There is some talk that (Murkowski) may be trying to work something out," Reid said. "We have our 34 votes (to sustain a veto), that must be why they are trying to work something out."

Murkowski in recent days has appealed to Energy Secretary Bill Richardson in an effort to reach a compromise.

Murkowski is considering some amendments, Kreisher said.

The issue of setting radiation standards "is among the issues being discussed because of course that is the reason the President has threatened to veto the bill," Kreisher said.

Kreisher said the exact version of the amendments likely would not be known until the Senate begins debate on the issue, possibly Wednesday.