Federal agents in LV for Yucca probe

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 | 11:25 a.m.

Agents with the Energy Department's inspector general are in Las Vegas investigating possible bias in the Yucca Mountain site- selection process, a spokeswoman confirmed this morning.

"Our agents have been out there for several weeks," Wilma Slaughter told the Sun in a telephone interview from Washington.

She would not discuss the investigation any further.

In a press release earlier this week, Slaughter confirmed that the inspector general had launched the investigation, which was requested by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid and former Energy Secretary Bill Richardson.

"Until such time as the review is complete, no further comment is anticipated," she said.

Reid said earlier this month that he was told federal agents would be looking at the DOE's "correspondence and briefing materials" to determine whether there is any evidence of bias in favor of Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, as the site of the nation's only nuclear waste repository.

The investigation, he said, would not be quick.

"This isn't something they can do in a few days," Reid said. "It's going to take a matter of months. It's a big project."

Reid asked the inspector general to investigate the circumstances surrounding preparation of documents that suggested Yucca Mountain is safe to store radioactive waste, even though lengthy studies of the Nevada site haven't been completed.

Reid said the documents, obtained by the Sun, appeared to show the DOE collaborating with its chief Yucca Mountain contractor, TRW Environmental Safety Systems Inc., to win approval for the Nevada site.

The Sun reported it had obtained a 60-page draft of a DOE overview on Yucca Mountain declaring the site suitable for nuclear waste storage. Attached to the draft was a two-page memo that suggested the overview could be used to help the nuclear industry sell Yucca Mountain to Congress.

The DOE had been preparing to make a recommendation on Yucca Mountain's suitability in June, but the decision has been delayed because of the investigation.

Talk of the probe has stirred up new opposition to the repository.

Strip executive Stephen Cloobeck has been organizing a grass-roots effort to raise money to fight the dump. Cloobeck said he has scheduled a another meeting of elected officials, business leaders and citizens at 1 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Clark County Government Center.

Gov. Kenny Guinn is counting on Cloobeck to help raise money to mount an ambitious nationwide media campaign to solicit support in the fight.

Guinn announced in his State of the State address Monday that he is including $5 million in his budget for the unprecedented advertising campaign. He wants to double that amount with contributions from local governments and private citizens.

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to discuss a resolution for the first time opposing to a Yucca Mountain repository, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority plans to do the same thing at its next board meeting on Feb. 13.

Reid expects to hold hearings on Yucca Mountain in Washington after the inspector general issues a report on the bias investigation.