Letter: Nuclear dump compensation not worth it

Monday, April 15, 2002 | 8:49 a.m.

I am writing in response to the residents of Nevada who feel that it would be beneficial to the people of our state to accept compensation in exchange for acceptance of the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.

I am a construction inspector with over 22 years of experience in the field of inspection. In my past I have worked in the aerospace, petrochemical, and utility segments of industry.

I was involved with the Space Shuttle program and was devastated when Challenger exploded. I was terrified that perhaps I had faltered in my duties but was only somewhat relieved when it was determined to have been the result of a design and usage flaw.

The point of the matter is that we are all human and we are prone to error. Engineering is a great but imperfect science, and we all know that we are all not perfect.

I was licensed in both the states of California and Nevada to handle highly radioactive materials as a radiographer. The recurring issue brought out before me in my training was that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not really sure about the effects of radiation exposure from one individual to another. They had set limits on exposure of individuals involved in our industry and I never exceeded them as far as I know.

I spent a total of 82 days at Sunrise Hospital last year undergoing chemotherapy to combat leukemia. I am grateful to the doctors and nurses who brought me back to health.

People here are looking at the dump as an opportunity to receive reparations from the government in exchange for risking their health and well-being. I hope the people of this state will think twice about what their lives and futures are worth.

JOHN FLORES