Nevada Anticipates Fight on Nuclear Waste Landfill

Date: April 4, 2002

Source: News Room

Nevada's congressional delegation and its governor expect an uphill fight in Congress to keep thousands of tons of nuclear waste from being shipped into their state for disposal. Their strategy is to convince enough lawmakers that it's too risky to allow thousands of shipments of nuclear waste to travel by highway and rail across their states. A majority of nuclear reactors are located in the eastern half of the country. Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a Republican, formally rejected construction of the Yucca facility in papers filed with Congress this past Monday, leaving the next step to the House and Senate. President Bush in February directed that the Nevada site be built, but under the law Nevada has a right to veto that decision. Congress, in turn, can override Nevada's objection.

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