Bill would give Nevada veto over Yucca nuclear waste dump

Nevada lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday that would give the state veto power over the long-stalled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site.

Before the federal government builds any nuclear waste dump, it would have to get approval from the state’s governor, local governments and Indian tribes.

{mosads}Polls consistently show that a majority in Nevada oppose Congress’s 1989 decision to build a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca, and the state’s leaders agree.

The Obama administration has stalled efforts to move forward on the project.

“For decades the federal government wasted billions of dollars attempting to recklessly move America’s deadly high-level nuclear waste to a dump at Yucca Mountain, despite the overwhelming objections of Nevadans,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement announcing the bill.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) is also sponsoring the bill, and Reps. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and Dina Titus (D-Nev.) are planning similar legislation in the House.

The legislation comes as Republicans in the House and Senate are launching concerted efforts to restart planning for Yucca’s construction.

In addition, Democrats’ loss of the Senate majority deprives Reid of his position as majority leader, which he used to keep Yucca off the table.

The Nevada lawmakers said an ad-hoc commission in Nevada recommended the bill to give the state veto power.

“The people of Nevada deserve to have a seat at the table in the nuclear waste storage conversation,” Heck said in a statement. “Allowing the governor, local government units, and Indian tribes to review proposals and make a determination on the project is consistent with the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future recommendations and, more importantly, will ensure the safety of Nevada’s citizens and our environment.”