Yucca delegation to keep watch on Utah senators

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

Nevada leaders say the success of their trip to Utah this week to warn of the dangers of hauling nuclear waste across the country will be measured by the votes of Sens. Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett.

If the two Republican senators change their minds and vote with Nevada on the Yucca Mountain plan, Councilman Gary Reese said he will know the trip to Salt Lake City made an impact.

"We're going to watch what Hatch and Bennett do," Reese said. "If they change their votes, the trip was a success."

The Senate is expected to vote in July on the proposal to store the nation's high-level nuclear waste in a repository at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Yucca plan has been approved by the House of Representatives.

Fresh from their trip to Salt Lake City and back Tuesday, Reese and Mayor Oscar Goodman said they were optimistic that Utah's media had picked up their message and would have some bearing on elected officials.

The trip came in the midst of a major public relations campaign by Nevada that includes television commercials in Utah. Goodman said the intent was to put pressure on Hatch and Bennett to vote with Nevada when the issue comes before the Senate.

Goodman said the Nevada delegation -- which included Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. -- talked to more than 40 members of the print and television media about the dangers of transporting nuclear waste across the country. Much of the waste would pass through Utah.

"We're trying to get the media to tell the truth ... and alert people as to what the situation is," Goodman said. "Then (the residents) go to their politicians and tell they don't want this poison coming through their streets.

"Politicians like to get re-elected, and if the politicians don't do what the people want, then the people aren't going to vote for them."

The Nevada officials were joined by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, who oppose Yucca Mountain.

Goodman used some of his familiar antics in sending his message, flashing a badge to the media and warning that he would arrest any driver who brought nuclear waste through Nevada.

"They started to shiver, and they began to shake," Goodman said, laughing.