Yucca hearings ordered in all counties

Monday, Oct. 1, 2001 | 8:44 a.m.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has ordered Department of Energy officials to visit each county in Nevada and Inyo County, Calif., to conduct field hearings and collect public comments on a proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear repository.

DOE officials and a court reporter will collect comments during 29 field hearings beginning Wednesday.

The DOE had scheduled formal hearings on the nuclear waste repository project on Oct. 10 in Amargosa Valley and on Oct. 12 in Pahrump.

The DOE conducted an 8 1/2-hour hearing on Sept. 5 in North Las Vegas on the proposed repository of 77,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Abraham also announced that the DOE's Las Vegas Yucca Mountain Science Center on Meadows Lane would open for local residents to submit comments.

The field hearings are scheduled from 3 to 8 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

* Elko County, Elko Convention and Visitors Authority, Oct. 3.

* Humboldt County, Winnemucca Convention Center, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10.

* White Pine County, Bristlecone Convention Center, Ely, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10.

* Inyo County, Calif., Lone Pine, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10.

* Storey County, Virginia City, Oct. 3 and Oct. 12.

* Carson City, Old Capitol Building, Oct. 3.

* Washoe County, Reno, Oct. 4.

* Lander County, Battle Mountain Civic Center, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.

* Pershing County, Lovelock Community Center, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.

* Lincoln County, Caliente Senior Center, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.