This is why interim storage grows more attractive, but federal nuclear waste law would have to change before any government-sponsored interim storage could move forward. Right now it is not allowed.

PFS is willing to work with the Energy Department and has formally asked the department to become a customer, but it has not received a response.

The $30 billion spending bill contains about $40 million specific to Utah for a variety of projects. The Senate still needs to work on its version of the bill.

It contains $19.8 million for remediation work at the Moab uranium mill tailings site and $40 million for the Central Utah Project — most of which is for construction, according to Matheson's office.

Bishop's office said the bill contains almost $1.7 million for the Weber Basin Project, $200,000 for the Park City Feasibility Study to do an environmental study on the feasibility of transporting water from Rockport Reservoir to the Snyderville Basin, $200,000 for digital mammography equipment and other cancer equipment for Logan's Cancer Center, among other items.

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E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com