Letter: State’s strategy on nuke waste is all wrong

Friday, June 22, 2001 | 9:25 a.m.

It's becoming apparent that our state officials realize their only chance in winning the fight against a repository at Yucca Mountain is to galvanize opposition nationally against the transportation of the waste.

But I believe the $4 million Gov. Kenny Guinn is looking at spending to take the state's anti-Yucca Mountain gospel to other states is a waste of our taxpayer dollars and becomes basically a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The state's strategy is indirectly telling Nevada's tourists and customers not to come here to play, shop and spend because of Yucca Mountain. That fear-mongering strategy plays well for our elected officials by giving them some sound bites and photo ops, but there is a serious disconnect between the reality of the situation and the political games being played by our elected officials.

The bottom line: The study of Yucca Mountain goes forward with a decision on the site expected later this year and a site recommendation by the president sometime next year. It doesn't matter who is in office, the reality of the situation is nuclear is going to play a bigger role in the national energy policy, so it's easy to figure out the Nevada connection -- a repository at Yucca Mountain is ultimately inevitable.

With the stuff being housed at over 70 locations in over 30 states, I think Congress and the other 49 states will opt for one location at the remote and already contaminated Nevada Test Site.

DAVY VALENTIN

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