Letter: Expand nuke hearings

Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2001 | 9:55 a.m.

The U.S. Department of Energy's hearings for the Yucca Mountain repository proposal need to be expanded to include other areas.

I live in San Luis Obispo, Calif., where a nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, operates two reactors. Pacific Gas and Electric, the bankrupt owner of the nuke plant, has its bid in for Yucca Mountain and is suing DOE to get it.

Now, it is my understanding that the state of Nevada is fighting this proposal. We here in San Luis Obispo County are not thrilled about it, either. Transportation of over 150 tons of radioactive waste from San Luis Obispo County to Port Hueneme via barge, then across the state of California via rail, is a scary thought. Opportunities will exist for terrorism and accidents, not to mention the ugly idea of nuke waste on the ocean.

We need to quit producing nuclear waste by switching to renewable energy sources. Diablo Canyon is a time bomb waiting to happen. Creating another one in Nevada is not the solution. The DOE should hold a hearing in our county and be prepared to hear a resounding "no" to nuke waste transportation.

SHEILA BAKER San Luis Obispo, Calif.