Minnesota lawmakers have Yucca concerns

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004 | 9:37 a.m.

After meeting Monday with Nevada lawmakers about plans to turn Yucca Mountain into a nuclear waste dump, one Minnesota state senator said maybe her state should hold onto its nuclear waste until a safer way of transporting and storing it is found.

Another Minnesota lawmaker said he has new concerns and questions about the safety of storing the waste at Yucca Mountain.

A group of Minnesota state legislators in Las Vegas to tour Yucca Mountain today met with Nevada lawmakers Monday at the Sawyer State Office Building to talk about the plan to store 77,000 tons of highly radioactive waste 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas beginning in 2010. Nevada is fighting the plan in U.S. District Court.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said the Monday meeting showed that concern over Yucca Mountain is growing across the country as more people realize the nuclear waste would be traveling through their states on the way to Nevada.

"Until now it was Nevada against the rest of the country, and now it's nice to see others getting involved. Now they see they will be affected too," Titus said.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said it is important for others from around the country to realize that the nuclear waste would be transported "through your cities, your neighborhoods and past your schools."

Guinn also said that even if Yucca Mountain opens, nuclear reactors around the country will continue to store spent fuel rods during the five years following their use.

Minnesota has three nuclear reactors at two power plants that currently house their nuclear waste on site.

Fred Dilger, a Clark County planner who focuses on Yucca Mountain issues, told the visiting lawmakers that while "tomorrow you're going to hear that everything's fine," the state and county disagree, saying there are technical problems with the mountain site and transportation concerns to address.

Dilger said the waste will probably come to Yucca Mountain by rail and truck, which will provide potential terrorists with many places to attack the waste. He also said that because of the sheer number of shipments coming from all over the country, there would probably be two transportation "incidents" a year.

Assemblyman Harry Mortenson, D-Las Vegas, told the visitors any action should wait until a safer way of dealing with the nuclear waste is found.

"In the future, people will figure out what to do with it, and how to deal with it safely," Mortenson said. "We'll be much smarter in 100 years ... so keep it on site for 100 years. The dry casks are good for at least 100 years."

Minnesota state Sen. Pat Pariseau, a Republican, said after the meeting that maybe there isn't a safe way of dealing with the waste at this time.

"Maybe we have to put up with it for a while," she said.

Minnesota Rep. Michael Beard, a Republican, said he's not convinced the transportation will be a problem, but he does have new questions about storing the waste in Yucca Mountain.

"I'm concerned that if there is a better site, why are we not there?" he asked.