NLV will consider anti-Yucca measure

Tuesday, July 2, 2002 | 8:32 a.m.

If the North Las Vegas City Council approves a resolution Wednesday opposing a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, the city will join 10 others on the record rejecting the dump.

North Las Vegas City Manager Kurt Fritsch asked the council to consider the resolution at Wednesday's meeting, which begins at 5 p.m.

If approved, the resolution will be sent to the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, based in Carson City, said Kimberly McDonald of the manager's office.

The league is a nonprofit organization that aims to represent the best interests of Nevada's cities.

League Executive Director Douglas Dickerson said he had set a deadline of July 8 to receive resolutions opposing the high-level nuclear waste repository 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

About 10 cities of 18 had already approved resolutions by Monday, Dickerson said. Among the cities were Las Vegas, Boulder City and Henderson.

"I expect most of the resolutions to oppose it," Dickerson said.

Once all of the resolutions are received, Dickerson said he will hand them to Gov. Kenny Guinn and the Nevada congressional delegation.

The House has voted to override Guinn's veto of the nuclear waste project.

The vote now moves to the Senate. Most observers expect the Senate to approve the repository this month. Between 48 and 62 senators will vote for it, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, a Yucca supporter, said. A simple majority of 51 senators is needed to pass the resolution approving Yucca Mountain.

Congress could take action on the nuclear waste project next week, after returning from a weeklong holiday break.