"It seems to me like this (present) process is working," he added.

Stephenson said that his bill would not remove the concurrence requirement for high-level nuclear waste. His bill concerns household waste, construction waste and low-level radioactive waste.

Envirocare did not send a representative to speak at the committee meeting. But Claire Geddes, a Cottonwood resident and activist, said it's "very difficult for me to think they wouldn't want this."

Geddes added, "This is an end run around the process and an end run around the governor. . . . This law has stood since 1990. I've never heard it questioned."

Anita Davis, a Salt Lake resident, said Envirocare may be the only company open to two-thirds of the country's radioactive waste. "This is the reason they want to expand," she said.

"This is legislation would really fault the democratic process that is already in place and approved by everyone," charged Anne Sward Hansen.

The bill advanced to the full Senate by a 3-2 vote. Voting to remove this authority from the Republican governor were three Republicans, Sen. Michael Waddoups of West Jordan; Sen. Tom Hatch of Panguitch, and Peterson. Supporting the governor's authority were two Democrats, McCoy and Sen. Fred Fife of Salt Lake.

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