Environmental Group Calls for Governor to Reject Foreign Nuclear Waste Disposal

Feb 19, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) EnergySolutions' proposal to take in 20,000 tons of nuclear waste from Italy and store some of it in northwestern Utah has drawn the ire of environmental groups. Vanessa Pierce, executive director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, says this would set a dangerous precedent by establishing the state as a dumping ground for foreign waste.

Pierce says none of the countries that create the most nuclear waste have a plan in action to get rid of it.

EnergySolutions has put in a request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow the waste to be imported. It would be processed in Tennessee, and then about 1,600 tons of it would be stored in Utah.

HEAL Utah is calling on Governor Jon Huntsman to prevent this from happening. They say even if the NRC approves the request, he can put a stop to it because of an interstate compact regarding low-level waste.

The public can now comment on EnergySolutions' request. You can contact the NRC at secy@nrc.gov.

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