THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510190020
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
``Stash it in Nevada,'' (editorial, Oct. 9) takes a narrow view in urging quick shipment of the nation's and Virginia's growing piles of nuclear waste. It reminds one of the current ``Dump it on the Americans'' campaign of European research-reactor operators. By what justice do countries (in Europe) and states (like Virginia) say, ``We want the benefit of nuclear reactors, but we want somewhere else to bear the terrible burden of dealing with the waste''?
The nation's spent nuclear fuel, which will remain highly radioactive for thousands of years, will total 80,000 tons in the next few decades.
Nevada vigorously opposes taking all the nation's reactor waste into a Yucca Mountain repository. At the very least, Nevada insists on a time-consuming, expensive study of the Yucca Mountain site before any nuclear waste is shipped to Nevada.
Suppose that somebody were proposing to stuff this environmental nightmare into Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Wouldn't Virginia object to taking the entire nation's reactor waste? Why, then, do you propose to force Nevada to accept what Virginia itself would not tolerate?
ROBERT F. DEEGAN
Nuclear Waste Issues Chairman
Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter
Virginia Beach, Oct. 9, 1995 by CNB