Utah in nuclear waste cross hairs

[True_Blue]

Proposed federal budget cuts affecting Nevada's Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility and a nuclear industry poised to build new reactors may be giving new life to a plan to store that waste in Utah's Skull Valley.

If the much-delayed Yucca project is slowed even further because of budget cuts, "it could mean that utilities would be even more interested in our facility," predicts Sue Martin, a spokeswoman for Private Fuel Storage, the consortium of nuclear-powered utilities seeking to store spent nuclear fuel on Goshute tribal lands for up to 40 years.

Industry and congressional sources said Friday that President Bush's proposed budget, to be unveiled Monday, will include about $650 million for the Yucca Mountain waste project — about half of what once was envisioned for the fiscal year beginning next October. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because details have not been announced.

"It's still going to end up being, in the long run, probably the most expensive public works project ever," says Chip Ward, co-founder of HEAL Utah, an environmental group opposed to the idea of storing spent nuclear rods in dry casks at the Skull Valley site, 75 miles southwest of Salt Lake City.

more....
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600109919,00.html

[struggle4progress]

1. "store ... for up to 40 years" translates as "dump and run." eom