Nevadans Want State to Continue Fight against Nuclear Repository

Aug. 5, 2002
A majority of Nevada residents responding to a recent survey believe the state of Nevada should continue its efforts to defeat the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and should not negotiate a deal for financial compensation with the federal government.

About 65 percent of the 404 residents responding to the survey, conducted on behalf of the Nevada Nuclear Projects Agency, believe the state should continue its fight against Yucca Mountain, while 31 percent believe the state should stop fighting and make a deal with the government.

The survey was conducted before the U.S. Senate voted to approve the repository July 9 and President George W. Bush's subsequent signing of the bill formally approving the project on July 23. (See the related article, "Congress Gives Yucca Mountain Green Light as Nuclear Waste Dump.")

"Although we lost the political battle against Yucca Mountain, the results of this survey support our contention that a majority of Nevada residents remain steadfast in their desire for the state to defeat the project in the courts," said Bob Loux, executive director of the Nevada Nuclear Projects Agency.

In response to a question citing the possibility that the Senate in July would override Gov. Kenny Guinn's veto of the U.S. Department of Energy's plans for Yucca Mountain, more than 69 percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the state should continue with lawsuits against the federal government. About 27 percent either disagreed or strongly disagreed.

"It is in the legal arena where we believe we have the best chance to expose the bad science and administrative hypocrisy that led the government to approve Yucca Mountain," Loux said.

In response to the question, "Do you believe the state should stop its opposition and make a deal, or do you think the state should continue to do all it can to oppose the repository, even if that means turning down benefits that may be offered by the federal government," some 65.1 percent said the state should continue its fight. Meanwhile, 30.9 percent said the state should make a deal with the government. The remaining respondents either were undecided or did not respond to the question.

When asked whether they would vote for or against Yucca Mountain if given the opportunity to cast a ballot on the issue, 76.2 percent said they would vote against the proposed repository, while 20.3 percent said they could cast "yes" votes.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Mitigating Risks: Strategies for Safeguarding Workers in Hazardous Workplaces

Jan. 13, 2025
Join our expert team in taking on the challenge to make safety part of your organization’s DNA as work, the workforce, and workplaces evolve.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!