Letter: Present facts about Yucca to Americans

Wednesday, March 27, 2002 | 8:39 a.m.

Recently I, like other Americans, learned that our president and the nuclear industry were making good on their threat to dump America's nuclear waste in Nevada.

My first thought was, "Why do Nevadans have to take New Hampshire's nuclear waste?"

God knows we in New Hampshire didn't want the nuclear plant, because we knew for starters that there was no plan to safely dispose of the waste.

Soon after, Washington lobbyist John Sununu reportedly made an inane threat about gamblers, money and Las Vegas. He, of course, was once governor of New Hampshire, helping President Bush Sr. win the infamous New Hampshire primary.

History buffs would tell you that he was Bush's chief of staff and made a big splash.

He is what you would call a politically connected conservative who has worked for the nuclear industry for decades, and he has a huge cache of political favors due from both Presidents Bush and the Republican Party.

Unfortunately, Nevada is being exploited politically. Candidly, the possible impact or ramifications have been considered, and Nevada has lost the roll of the dice. The nuclear industry hedged its bet by contributing millions to politicians around America, knowing that the day of reckoning was nearing. The safety of people is secondary to the bottom line. Some politician has decided that you are expendable.

For what it's worth, I apologize that we would do this to each other. I recommend that you present your case directly to the American people. They will demand fairness.

JIM RICE Penacook, N.H.