Letter: Retiree’s work on Yucca issue will be missed

Tuesday, July 3, 2001 | 9:26 a.m.

Kudos for the Sun's June 29 article on the retirement of Clark County's longtime nuclear waste program director. Dennis Bechtel will be sorely missed by those of us who have been involved with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository issue over the years.

Bechtel is a man of great integrity, character and principle who worked tirelessly to protect the interests of the county and the state from a federal program intent on forcing a high-level radioactive waste repository on Nevada regardless of the site's suitability or the wishes of Nevada's citizens.

Mary Manning's article accurately portrayed Bechtel's invaluable contributions. Those of us who have worked with Bechtel over the years have appreciated his honest and straightforward style, his intelligence, his dedication and his hard work. When Nevada is finally successful in halting this unwanted and unacceptable federal program, a great deal of the credit will be due to Bechtel and his extraordinary efforts over these many years.

JOE STROLIN Editor's note: The writer is administrator of the planning division for the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, which is located in Carson City.