Stop N-waste, Huntsman

Opportunities are like sunrises — if you wait too long you miss them — William Arthur Ward

When it comes to nuclear waste disposal, polls have consistently shown that more than 84 percent of Utahns are opposed to allowing higher levels of nuclear waste being dumped in the state. This includes the Class B and C radioactive waste that comes primarily from dismantled nuclear reactors. This waste is dangerous. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission warns us that unshielded exposure to Class C waste can cause a lethal dose of radiation based on a 20-minute exposure at a distance of just 3 feet.

Envirocare received a conditional license in 2001 to accept this type of hotter waste. However, the license states, "If either the Utah Legislature or Governor do not approve the facility to receive Class B and C low-level radioactive waste, this license is immediately terminated."

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has the power to issue an executive order and terminate the license. It would be a perfect way for him to fulfill one of the campaign promises he made during the election: to "use the full force of (his) office to oppose all efforts to bring into our state any radioactive waste other than what is currently permitted. This includes those levels classified as Band C waste." An executive order would send a strong message to the rest of the country that Utah is not opening our doors to the nation's nuclear waste.

Once the license is killed, the next step in setting nuclear waste policy would be for the Legislature to pass a bill that bans the disposal of Class B and C radioactive waste in Utah. There is not a nuclear power plant in the state, so why should we be responsible for taking all the risks and liabilities that go along with storing the waste produced by Eastern nuclear reactors?

One reason Utah is being targeted as the dumping ground for the nation's nuclear waste is because within three years, 36 states are not going to have a place to dump this waste. There will be tremendous pressure to dump it in Utah because whoever can corner this market stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars.

With the recent sale of Envirocare to an undisclosed group of New York and local investors, Utahns should pay close attention to the political maneuvering. While we don't know anything about the investors, we do know a bit about Steve Creamer, the person who was named to head the company. Creamer pushed the state to open its own high-level nuclear waste dump, was the engineer of the failed syn-crete project, and designed the Quail Creek dam near St. George that later burst. Creamer is also trying to grease the political skids, as demonstrated by his $40,000 contribution to Huntsman's campaign and political action committee.

With so much at stake, we can't sit back and let these greedy interests line up at our door and hope they go away. It is time for elected leaders to set state policy, not the nuclear waste industry. With the dawning of a new Huntsman administration, we must seize the opportunity to secure the door so that hotter nuclear waste does not come barging in. Huntsman has the power to kill the hotter B and C radioactive waste license with an executive order. Urge him to use it by calling him at 801-538-1000.

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Jason Groenewold is the director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah.