Nevadan says Utah may bar nuclear waste

Rep. Jim Matheson, one of several Democratic politicians in the audience, said the Utah delegation needs to work together. "I think (Reid's) saying, 'Look, I don't want it to come into Utah. I'm prepared to stop the transportation.' I guess that's the right approach right now."

Like Matheson, Reid also spoke out against resuming nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site. "I don't think we need to do testing as we've done it in the past," Reid said, suggesting computers can check weapons without detonating them.

Reid, who is in Utah to attend the annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is scheduled to meet Saturday with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. Huntsman, a Republican, opposes forcing the West to store waste generated in other parts of the country.

The Nevada senator spoke of his ties to Utah, including attending what is now Southern Utah University and Utah State University. Reid said he and Matheson are examples that it is possible to be both a Democrat and a Mormon.

Leaders of the LDS Church make it clear, Reid said, that "they don't take sides on elections. I just wish that members of the church would listen to what they say." That comment received hearty applause from his university audience.

Reid said, too, that "members of the leadership of the Mormon church, they have never come to me in my various leadership positions over the years and told me, suggested to me, what I should do on an issue."

---

E-mail: lisa@desnews.com