Waste bill splits House, Senate

It wasn't supposed to be an issue this session, but the House and Senate are dealing with — and appear to be at odds over — a bill that would require political approval on certain types of radioactive wastes.

HB145 dominated discussions during a Republican leadership meeting Tuesday when Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, and Rep. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George — both of them co-chairmen of a legislative task force studying waste issues — presented different views of the legislation.

"There's tension in deciding what's best for Utah citizens," Urquhart admitted.

He, however, would not elaborate on the discussions other than to say he had hoped Bramble would co-sponsor his bill. Bramble, also, was reluctant to talk about the differences, but added, "We will find common ground."

Bramble also said he would not characterize the rift as the Senate versus the House. "But there are very diverse opinions among leadership," he said. "I was asked to present my opinion and I did."

Bramble is hoping the Legislature does nothing. Instead, lawmakers should wait until the two-year task force completes its studies later this year. At that time, lawmakers will have a much better idea where they want to go with legislation restricting radioactive and hazardous wastes hotter than what the state now accepts.

But Urquhart has filed HB145, a bill that would require Envirocare of Utah or any other radioactive waste company to receive approval from the Legislature and governor before accepting any waste "hotter" in radioactivity than what is currently permitted under federal and state licenses. There is no disagreement among leaders that the Fernald, Ohio, waste should not come to Utah without legislative approval because it clearly falls outside of Envirocare's current license. "Outside of that, there is disagreement how far legislators should go to micromanage waste in this state," Bramble said.

Envirocare, which has a powerful lobbying force on the Hill, has objected to Urquhart's bill because it would apply to two pending license amendments the company is seeking from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

Urquhart has agreed to a compromise.

He said he would support exempting Envirocare from the political approval process so the company could take "special nuclear material" in larger containers. But he's unwilling, at the moment, to "grandfather" a different license application, also pending, that would allow Envirocare to mix certain radioactive wastes with hazardous wastes.