Editorial: A change of heart on Yucca Mountain?

Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002 | 8:57 a.m.

Rep. Don Young, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said in Las Vegas on Monday that he is willing to revisit his support of a nuclear waste dump in Nevada. The Alaska Republican, who was in Las Vegas for a political fund-raiser, said he may even hold hearings about the dangers of nuclear waste transportation.

Conversions do occur in politics, but Nevadans would see this one as miraculous if Young, who previously has been a strong supporter of sending nuclear waste to Nevada, followed through on his musings and joined our state in its fight against Yucca Mountain. It would be like President Bush admitting that his tax cut was poorly thought out and should be postponed, or if Sen. Ted Kennedy suddenly advocated smaller government.

Still, it's hard to imagine Young turning his back on GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who has referred to Yucca Mountain opposition as "left-wing political grandstanding." In addition, not only is Young viewed as having a poor environmental record in Congress, but he also has consistently voted against Nevada's interests regarding Yucca Mountain. As recently as 2000, Young voted in favor of legislation that would have sent nuclear waste to Nevada by 2007. Maybe Young has seen the light, and for now we're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But let's just say that Nevadans have become bitterly accustomed to members of Congress and presidential candidates pledging fairness on Yucca Mountain while passing through our city to collect political contributions, yet never following through after they return to Washington.