Editorial: Nuke waste dump oversight is intact

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 | 8:49 a.m.

It was a hopeful sign on Wednesday that the Republican House leadership yanked from its energy bill a provision that would have taken away Congress' spending oversight of the Yucca Mountain Project. The nuclear power industry's supporters in Congress wanted less scrutiny, especially since the federal government's study of Yucca Mountain's suitability to store high-level nuclear waste has been bungled terribly.

Nevada Reps. Jim Gibbons, a Republican, and Shelley Berkley, a Democrat, lobbied their colleagues to oppose this measure. It worked this time, but the nuclear power industry won't meekly retreat. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who sponsored the measure, said he would bring it up again later this year. This was a temporary victory, but it still was key in the state's fight against this project, which threatens the health and safety of Nevadans.

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