Budget Solution Seen Through Yucca Mountain
The State of Nevada faces almost a billion dollar budget shortfall. The Nuclear Energy Institute says there is a solution that requires no increase in taxes or cutting programs, but it comes with one very large string attached.
The NEI says the federal government could give the state $1 billion next year, effectively erasing the budget shortfall, but the state would have to drop any objection to shipping the nation’s nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Categories: Current Affairs, Environment, Las Vegas Life, Nevada Events, Politics
June 27th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Try a hundred billion and maybe we’ll talk.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:54 am
I saw John McCain giving his latest pitch on energy last week. It sure was something watching him tell everyone how cleeeeean nuclear power is, and that the technology is here to reprocess the waste. He said almost all of France is run on nuclear power and we can follow their lead using their technology and start building 45 new nuclear power plants. Did you ever hear the joke, How do you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips are moving. John McCain is lying. If this link shows up you can take a look at the technology that France has. Read the second page you won’t believe how bad it is. http://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/english/downloads/beyond-nuclear.pdf
June 27th, 2008 at 6:09 am
I say, make it a deal! $1 billion to accept the inevitable? Why not? We need simply to educate the masses on the safety of our country’s nuclear program and push this project forward. Lose the NIMBY attitude people! Let’s give the nation Yucca Mountain.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Yucca Mountain and its associated storage technology has been tested and proven to be the safest we can find in the USA and significantly safer from terrorists than the 123 remote storage sites at all of the US reactors today.
I agree with Sean, we need a mass education program to illustrate how safe Nuclear power is on the environment and how safe we have handled high level nuclear waste to date. The extremely well designed transport canisters have been crash tested in many ways to prove their ability to contain all of the waste, even in a fire.
One significant factor in the Yucca Mountain design is that the waste is retreivable for reprocessing if and when that becomes economically feasible. Well over half of the uranium remaining in our spent fuel pellets is still useable once we decide to reprocess them and therefore the retreivable design of Yucca Mountain is such a key factor in its design and choice.
McCain is right this is a NIMBY problem and $1 Billion a year should be enough payment to Nevada to be the host, especially since Yucca Mountain is on teh US Government owned weapons test site and will never be used for any other purpose. Any additional payment would amount to blackmail.
John, 6/27/08
June 27th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Wow, unbeliveable!!! The goverment is now trying to kick us when were down, our law makers better not make a deal with the “devil”. Thats what it is… No one wants higher taxes ofcourse, but I would take a 20% increase, rather than take toxic waste. This is our home, we love our state and city, why would we risk that? There are far less populated states to consider, or other options. Its just being shoved down our throats from every angle. I will be so upset if this is the solution. Money is not the root of all evil, lack of money is!
June 27th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Beyond Nuclear, the group behind the publication Mike M links above, is certainly one end of the spectrum. Personally, I believe their view is unrealistic.
If you’re interested in facts, not fear, I suggest you look elsewhere.
On the larger issue: I believe the fearmongering and outright lies that underly Nevada elected officials’ opposition to Yucca Mountain border on criminal.
We accept far, far greater risks from other things each and every day– for free. They should spend their time on things that actually matter: economic diversity, water rights, public education.
If the NRC’s four-year scientific review of Yucca Mountain, which has just begun, shows that it is safe,
there should be no reason to reject negotiations.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:27 am
We should allow the nation’s policy to play itself out and allow the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission give it a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. For those new to the state, back in 1975 elected officials supported a repository at the test site. At over $60 billion, this is the country’s largest public works project ever undertaken and I believe our elected officials should establish a responsible and serious dialogue aimed at securing health and safety assurances for all of us along with a significant benefits package.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Nuclear power isn’t going away, the test site has successfully managed nuclear missions for a long time and Yucca Mountain, if dealt with responsibly and some common sense, both which seem to be lacking in our state’s approach, could be an economic diversification tool. I went to UNLV, this is not a waste, its a resource. We should be looking at a reprocessing facility at the test site or in Nye County. We have some very talented and bright scientists researching reprocessing at UNLV, lets give them a chance to solve this environmental challenge and make it a win for Nevada. I’m also aware that New Mexico received significant benefits for a facility in Carlsbad, NM, we should get even more if the NRC approves the repository at Yucca Mountain. Peace-out
June 27th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! That’s what, $400 dollars per Nevadan? Jackpot baby! Lets make a deal!
June 27th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Take the Money Now and run!. There going to use the site one day anyway. 10-20 years? This is a offer that we cant refuse
June 27th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
If they want to turn our state into a waste dump, they should pay each Nevadan at least a hundred thousand dollars. Even that sounds a little low considering our children are going to have to live with this. How much is a toxic waste dump that will last thousands of years worth to you?
June 28th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I have always believed that Yucca Mountain was a good idea. In the early days of studying this site, our government was for this Project. It’s too bad that forget that fact today. When our state is in dire need of funds, which could be used to help our education and health care systems, why not accept a payment now and negotiate for the future?
June 30th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Faced with the liklyhood of having the feds jam this down our throats anyway, I say make it $2B per year AND a large-scale federally subsidized solar power program. And move Camp David to the base of Yucca mountain, so we’re all assured it’s nice and safe. No bottled water and bunny suits allowed.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Nevada would be nuts not to take the money. Of course, Harry Reid and his crew have been pushing solar and are caught up in anti-nuclear hysteria, so they’d rather see our boys dying in Iraq fighting for oil.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:20 am
The above ground testing at the test site back in the early 1950,s contaminated the area for the next 100.000 thousand years destroying the entire area so what harm storing the waste there. They have proven that the transportation of the waste is safe. If the people of las vegas knew what what goes through this town in the back of trucks every day they would see where the real hazard is. Take the money and get on with living and forget Harry Reed and his fear tacticts