Time for Nevada to join 21st century

James Smith, Las Vegas

Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013 | 2:01 a.m.

Why do we talk ourselves out of every good deal that comes along? A guaranteed multibillion-dollar contract from the U.S. government to store low-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain is a no-brainer.

Nevada needs the high-tech industry and its high-paying jobs; the expanded education and transportation focus; and down the road, the recycling of spent waste into useful products.

I remember some 35 years ago when the two largest Japanese manufacturing companies were willing to pay for the right to build a maglev high-speed train line to Disneyland in exchange for the right to operate it until the loans were repaid. Las Vegas either ignored that offer or just talked it to death.

Today, they say it costs too much electrical energy to consider such a plan, yet we let large solar farm projects die because no one will contract to buy the output.

We need high-tech answers to some of our problems. Nineteenth century industries such as mining and gaming are not going to carry us through the 21st century.

Take, for example, the proposal to turn 50 or 100 square miles of our wasteland into a solar catchment for satellites focused here to enable the entire Western U.S. to receive green energy abundance. Who cares if the turtles and snakes disapprove?

The future is calling; will anyone be there to answer the call?