Nevada wants NRC to help with funds for Yucca project

Suzanne Struglinski

Friday, July 23, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevada wants the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help pay for the state's work on the Yucca Mountain project because Congress and the Energy Department have not allocated enough money.

Bob Loux, executive director of the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects and the state's attorneys met with commission officials Thursday to talk about the prospect of getting some financial assistance from the agency.

But there wasn't much talking.

In a meeting that had been scheduled to last four hours but was over after only 40 minutes, Jack Strosnider, head of the commission's office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguard, and staff from the Office of General Counsel asked few questions and did not say much about the possibility of the state getting the money.

Nevada believes the rules clearly allow the commission to help the state financially with the project. The state filed a 34-page petition with the commission in May asking for close to $14 million to help prepare for the Yucca Mountain licensing hearings.

"Without financial assistance for Nevada, the Yucca Mountain licensing proceeding will be seriously compromised by Nevada's inability to participate meaningfully and by the lopsided nature of the parties and their respective resources," according to the petition.

Egan, a lawyer who represents Nevada on Yucca issues said the state went to the meeting "hat in hand but with a justifiable argument we should get assistance."

Egan said that a lot of the scientific work the state wants to continue will not be done by any other party but could be vital to finding information about the Yucca Mountain project.

Janet Kotra, who is also with the office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, questioned whether the commission's rules would allow for it to help the state. She said she believes it would be a decision for the Energy Department to make, not the commission.

She said she expects a decision to be made later this year.

Loux has asked the department for more money on top of the $1 million Congress allocated for this fiscal year, but the department has told him that unless Congress acts the state will not receive any.

The state has sued the department to get more money, because it believes it violated the Nuclear Waste Policy Act that says Nevada should get assistance.

In March, the department signed a contract worth up to $63 million with Hunton & Williams, a large Richmond, Va., law firm, Loux said.

The state has asked the NRC for $4.7 million, which Loux points out is a fraction of what the department will spend on lawyers alone.

Loux said he thinks the state is OK right now in funding its fight against the project but without additional money in the future some cuts will have to be made.

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