Letter: List’s views must be challenged

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003 | 8:54 a.m.

Former Nevada Gov. Robert List, a spokesperson for the nuclear industry, is circulating through the state to persuade cash-strapped counties to "throw in the towel" and accept nonexistent "benefits" to embrace a Yucca Mountain nuclear dump.

He emphasizes monetary benefits and conveniently ignores sound scientific reasons why Yucca Mountain is unsuitable as a nuclear-waste dump. He also ignores the scientifically based lawsuits against Yucca that Nevada has filed with federal agencies.

List should make himself available to Clark County and the city of Las Vegas, which have joined with Nevada in three of its lawsuits. He should appear in a public forum. The public must have an opportunity to have their concerns addressed directly and they must have an opportunity to question List directly.

Nevadans should never submit to an overbearing federal government, which puts sound science secondary to expedient politics.

FRANK PERNA

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