Letter: Nuke waste is ‘no big deal’?

Monday, Jan. 22, 2001 | 10:22 a.m.

I couldn't believe Alan Eichler's Jan. 17 letter to the editor, "Transporting nuclear waste no big deal."

It's no big deal if you don't care about property devaluation, threat of terrorism, accidents, more gridlock and a degradation of our quality of life.

It is also unnecessary because it is safe where it was produced and will be for 50 years. Instead of transporting the waste in casks, which the Department of Energy and the nuclear industry tout as indestructible and in which no nuclear reaction can occur, store it on-site in a repository building for security.

In order for this to happen more citizens must speak out to join with local and state government, the Chamber of Commerce and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (finally) and Stephen Cloobeck to widen the coalition.

When citizens of all states, especially of the states who will suffer this unnecessary transportation risk, learn about the scientific alternative of on-site storage, they will join with us in protest.

Don't depend on others to protest for you. Let Congress know that we want science, not political lobbying, from the nuclear industry, to decide on a sensible alternative to a Yucca Mountain nuclear dump.

FRANK PERNA