LV chamber cuts ties to U.S. group

Diana Sahagun

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2001 | 9:41 a.m.

In the high-stakes fight to keep nuclear waste from being transported to Nevada, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has severed its ties with its national organization, which is backing a repository at Yucca Mountain.

The move could hurt the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as the city's chamber is the third largest in the nation.

After last week's decision by the U.S. chamber to back the repository, other local chambers, including Henderson's, have threatened to yank their memberships.

On Monday Las Vegas Chamber President Pat Shalmy sent a letter to the national president, severing the group's ties, said Kami Dempsey, government affairs director.

"The primary reason is due to the fact that on such an important issue facing our economy and our future, the fact that they didn't even call their members ... We're really disgruntled by that," she said.

The local chamber's 25-member board in January adopted a resolution opposing the storage of high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The resolution was the organization's first formal stance against the repository.

Dempsey said the national organization failed to get an opinion from local members before making its announcement of support and has yet to contact the organization.

"We didn't want to be part of an organization that doesn't seek feedback from those who pay their dues," she said.