Editorial: We’ve heard that song before

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2002 | 8:23 a.m.

When members of Congress visit Nevada, usually for political fund-raisers, we hear the usual ditty about how "sound science" should decide the fate of the Yucca Mountain project. Of course, once they've collected their money from Nevadans and are safely back in Washington, these same members of Congress -- who also rake in cash from the nuclear power industry -- don't miss a beat when voting for legislation that would send nuclear waste to Nevada. Why, Nevada Republican politicians even have gotten in on the game of making empty promises, telling us during the 2000 presidential election that a George W. Bush administration would treat Nevadans fairly. That assurance evaporated this month after Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham recommended that President Bush select Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste garbage dump. But sometimes politicians say thin gs about Yucca Mountain that surprise even us jaded Nevadans. One of those nuclear-waste doozies happened last Friday when ! House Majority Leader Dick Armey was in Las Vegas for a fund-raiser.

Armey, in an interview with Sun political reporter Erin Neff, said if Nevadans wanted better odds at defeating Yucca Mountain, they should elect Republicans to Congress, not Democrats like Rep. Shelley Berkley. "Let's say next year, John Ensign comes to me, Jim Gibbons comes to me, Lynette Boggs McDonald comes to me and Jon Porter comes to me. I'll listen to them," Armey said. "If Shelley Berkley comes up and says, 'Dick, I really want you to save me from some grief,' I'm not interested."

Leaving aside the fact that Dick Armey won't be there next year because he is retiring, who does he think he is fooling? Sure, the Republican congressional leadership will listen, but it doesn't mean a thing. Time and time again the GOP has pushed for Yucca Mountain's selection. Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert was effusive in his praise for Abraham's recommendation of Yucca Mountain, citing what he called Abraham's "exhaustive deliberation, wise study." He also saw fit to take a cheap shot at opposition to Yucca Mountain, referring to it as "left-wing political grandstanding."

The top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, had just the opposite take on Abraham's decision, saying it was "regrettable." He even mentioned that Democrats Berkley and Senate Assistant Majority Leader Harry Reid have "rightly pointed out that the science is far from conclusive -- and that such an important decision should be delayed until all the facts are in. The administration's decision is contrary to sound public policy and contrary to current scientific knowledge. The country -- and Nevada residents most of all -- deserve a fair assessment of this issue based on scientific fact rather than the political leverage of the corporate energy interests." It is evident that Gephardt and Hastert are worlds apart on Yucca Mountain, a demonstration of how the Democrats and Republicans differ nationally on this issue.

It also was laughable to read Armey's revisionist history regarding past efforts in Congress to send nuclear waste to Nevada. Armey suggested that it was Republican House leaders who previously stopped nuclear waste from coming here, dismissing Reid's contribution. But the fact is that it was the Republicans in Congress who ensured passage of legislation in 2000 that would have put nuclear waste on a fast track to Nevada. It was President Clinton's veto, and Reid and Sen. Richard Bryan's work to sustain the veto in the Senate, that stopped the legislation.

It also was intriguing that Armey doesn't believe Republicans, who hold just a six-vote edge in the 435-member House, need to pick up one of the two congressional seats in Southern Nevada. "We're just looking to increase our margin," a confident Armey said. In light of the Republican leaders' track record on nuclear waste, it's easy to see why they think so little of Nevada -- and why their arrogance could end up costing them this time.