$2.5 million slated for Yucca evaluation

Tuesday, June 13, 2000 | 10:42 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A House subcommittee, which for five years denied any appropriation to Nevada for scientific oversight of the proposed nuclear dump at Yucca Mountain, has included $2.5 million in the budget for next fiscal year.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said the funding means, "Nevada can independently oversee the scientific evaluations of the Yucca Mountain project and not be dependent on the Department of Energy's evaluations."

Guinn said he lobbied Rep. Ron Packard, R-Calif, the chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, for the money.

Nevada received $500,000 in federal funds during this fiscal year and $250,000 last fiscal year.

Bob Loux, executive director of the state Agency for Nuclear Projects, said the additional money, to be available in October, is to be used solely for "hard science" evaluation of Yucca Mountain. He said his agency will not be able to put any of it into salaries, travel or for studies of the socio-economic impact of the dump or for research on the possible hazards of transporting the nuclear waste across the country.

The agency, Loux said, will still have to depend on state money to keep it going.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has complained he could not get nuclear waste research money for Nevada as long as Loux headed the state agency. He said Republicans in Congress won't shell out money as long as Loux is in charge. When Reid complained, Guinn backed Loux and said he would not make a change.

To get around Reid's objection, the money in the House bill will go to the state Division of Emergency Management and not to the Agency for Nuclear Projects.

The Agency for Nuclear Projects is receiving about $1.5 million a year from the state's general fund and from state highway money to keep it afloat and to continue limited studies.

"There is no single issue more important to Nevada than the prospect of a high-level nuclear waste dump in our backyard," Guinn said.

"The ability to oversee the application of science at Yucca Mountain is a significant step forward in our fight against the nuclear power industry."