Editorial: No more nuke plants

Thursday, April 28, 2005 | 9 a.m.

In a speech on energy, President Bush on Wednesday urged the building of more nuclear power plants. He also called for the construction of more oil refineries and said he wants to boost sales of energy-efficient vehicles through tax breaks for those who buy them.

We strongly disagree with his support for nuclear power plants. Thirty-five years ago utility officials defused concerns about nuclear waste by saying that "technology" will advance so rapidly that waste will never be a problem. Well, waste is a major problem today, and where is that vaunted technology? It's wrapped up in a stalled and dangerous proposed burial project at Yucca Mountain here in Southern Nevada. Until technology really does catch up with the waste problem, we will remain opposed to any more nuclear power plants.

We agree with the president, however, on the need for more oil refineries. In March 2004, Sun reporter Steve Kanigher reported in depth on the reasons for high gas prices in Nevada. A main reason was that gas here comes from a few aging and often unreliable refineries in California. A new refinery has not been built in the United States since the 1970s. New refineries would allow more production, which would increase supply and eventually lower prices.

In his original energy proposal in 2001, Bush outlined $6.7 billion in tax incentives, largely for conservation efforts and development of renewable energy. The House, which passed its version of an energy bill last week, rejected that proposal, opting instead for $8.1 billion in tax breaks, mostly for traditional energy producers. The House also dropped Bush's proposal to offer consumers tax breaks on energy-efficient cars.

The Senate now has the energy bill. In our view, it should reject drilling for a smattering of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, supported by both Bush and the House. It should reject more nuclear power plants and high subsidies for oil, gas, nuclear and coal producers. It should include mandatory fuel efficiency standards in new cars, subsidies for renewable power industries and tax breaks for conservation efforts such as the purchase of high-mileage cars. Such an energy bill would put us on our way toward less reliance on foreign oil.