Bush’s statement on Yucca gets mixed reviews

Mary Manning and Benjamin Grove

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 | 11:25 a.m.

Leave it to science

The Bush statement reads: "I believe sound science, and not politics, must prevail in the designation of any high-level nuclear waste repository. As president, I would not sign legislation that would send nuclear waste to any proposed site unless it's been deemed scientifically safe. I also believe the federal government must work with the local and state governments that will be affected to address safety and transportation issues."

A statement released by George W. Bush, the apparent Republican presidential nominee, on a proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain closely resembles stands already taken by President Clinton and Bush's likely rival, Vice President Al Gore.

The three sentences Bush issued Tuesday say "sound science, and not politics, must prevail" in the decision-making process.

Clinton used similar words last month as he vetoed a bill that would bring waste from the nation's nuclear power plants to Nevada by 2007. He noted that a decision on what to do with the waste had to be "consistent with sound science and protection of public health, safety and the environment."

Gore has used the mantra as well, issuing a statement Jan. 11 that said, "We need to address the very serious issue of high-level nuclear waste disposal based on sound science, not politics ..."

Bush, Clinton and Gore may sound alike on the question of basing a nuclear waste repository on the basis of "sound science," UNLV political science Professor Michael Bowers said. But the critical difference between Bush and the Democrats is that the Democrats have acted on temporary waste storage and health and safety regulations, he said.

The unanswered question is who will set scientific standards for a repository, since the GOP leadership has been behind six attempts to store nuclear waste temporarily in Nevada under weaker standards, Bowers said.

While Nevada Republicans praised Bush's long-awaited statement, Democrats mocked it.

Gov. Kenny Guinn, who released the letter from Bush laying out his position, admitted that the Texas governor's stance that sound science should drive a repository is the same as Clinton's and Gore's. Still, Guinn said, the statement "is an indication of George W. Bush's courage as a leader."

"It's better for all of us in Nevada to have a sitting president and both candidates for the presidency saying they will base any decision on science."

Guinn said Nevada's Republican leaders -- John Ensign, former congressman who is running for retiring Sen. Richard Bryan's seat, Rep. Jim Gibbons and state Sen. Jon Porter, who is challenging Rep. Shelley Berkley -- should be commended for their efforts to secure a commitment from the GOP's presidential nominee.

The Texas governor plans to visit Nevada in late May or early June, Nevada campaign chairman Pete Ernaut said. Bush likely will schedule both a public event and a fund-raiser. Ernaut helped craft the nuclear waste statement.

The visit is important because the Republicans see Nevada as a possible victory for them, Bowers noted.

Gibbons said he has been lobbying Bush since the early days of his campaign for a nuclear waste statement. Today Gibbons meets with Bush's chief strategist, Karl Rove, in Washington because the Bush campaign has designated Nevada as a target state where the vote will be close. "This will be an important follow-up meeting," Gibbons said.

Nevada Democrats noted that while parts of Bush's statement sound similar to Clinton's, the substance of the positions are quite different.

Berkley said Bush left out key points: his position on radiation safety standards and on temporary waste storage at Yucca. Bush should have said whether he would have vetoed the nuclear waste bill Clinton rejected in April, she said.

"Where is George W. on these three issues?" Berkley asked. "The voters of Nevada deserve to know where George W. stands. The statement doesn't say anything. It's pablum."

Nevada's two senators had harsher reactions.

"This is a big rainout, this is so nothing," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

"Whatever little respect I had for him has been totally washed away," Reid said. "He's nowhere to be heard or seen on health and safety standards."

Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., called the Bush statement a joke.

"The statement is not worth the paper it's written on," he said. "We have waited months for this profound statement. James Madison and the Founding Fathers took a shorter period of time to draft the Constitution of the United States than this one-paragraph nonstatement.

"In the end, this is nothing more than a Texas-size waffle that insults the intelligence of every Nevadan," Bryan said.