Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Politics, economics and death — Yucca Mountain legacy

Friday, Jan. 18, 2002 | 4:34 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is executive editor of the Sun and publisher of the Henderson Home News, where this column first appeared.

There is no link between promoting the dumping of deadly industrial nuke waste on Nevada and patriotism. The wealthy energy corporations that have used nuclear power to gain additional wealth were licensed by a government that had little foresight. The energy corporations presented no plans for handling the waste and neither did our government. Now both the government and the corporations have determined that, despite all of the related problems, Yucca Mountain is the place.

So who are the people supporting this dumping on Nevada? Generally speaking, they are people who have made a living from some part of the nuclear business, plan to make money from it or are presently making big bucks from it. A large majority of Nevadans who love living in this area and are raising families don't want any part of having the waste, and all of its obvious problems, on their highways or deposited in a place that science hasn't been able to support.

A close look at the statements of many nuke waste dump supporters will find some economic relationship, past, present or hopes in the future. This isn't true of all supporters, however; very notable are those who will be disappointed when there aren't big economic benefits. There is a possibility that just the opposite may haunt them and their neighbors, if the Yucca Mountain project becomes a reality.

Writers who relate the project to politics are on target. It has become a political sham of the highest degree. Those who support the project oftentimes belittle the efforts of Nevada politicians who oppose it. Yet it is a political animal we are facing. Nevada office holders are reflecting the views and concerns of more than 70 percent of their constituents. In addition, most of them are also making every effort to protect us from this threatened tragedy becoming a reality.

Supporters who see a good job, a pot of gold or lower taxes at the end of dump approval are dreaming. Ask the people of New Mexico about all of their profits from the government's waste isolation project in their state. What Yucca Mountain can do is provide not a dream but a possible economic and health nightmare.

Oh, don't worry about the transportation of waste, the casks containing it are rocket and fire proof and are almost indestructible, we are told by the waste dumping promoters. Great, if that's the truth, then they will also be safe in the vicinity of the moneymaking power plants. Just put it safely in the casks and keep it in that area until a future use for the contents is determined.

Don't try to sell Nevadans down the road with lies and false promises. Some of us have already experienced the lies of the DOE and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission. Lie to us once, shame on you. If we allow you to get away with a second lie, shame on us.

The sad part of this whole story is that both the energy producers and DOE know they are lying to us. When they get caught in a lie or can't meet their original promises to make it a safe project, they very conveniently change the rules and specifications and believe we are ignorant enough not to see through the charade.

Now that Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, a man Michigan voters dumped from the U.S. Senate less than two years ago, will recommend Yucca Mountain to President Bush, it will be interesting to see what action the president will take. Even more important, we must ask, will he take action prior to the election of 2002 or will he repeat the stalling tactics used successfully in 2000 to have Nevadans give him a vital four electoral votes? With Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert praising the dumping on Nevada, it will be important who represents the state in the Congress next year.

Yes, the whole Yucca Mountain project has been, and still is, a game of deceitful politics. It is politics of the worst kind, where big government and big business collaborate in a scheme to profit at the expense of a state with few electoral votes. Shame, shame on those who are willing to sacrifice both science and decency to gain even more money and political power.