Huntsman calls for ban on import of 'hotter' nuclear wastes

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will call tonight for the Legislature to ban Class B and C low-level nuclear wastes from coming into Utah, a move that will be supported by the prospective buyers of Envirocare, the only firm now licensed to dispose of nuclear wastes in the state.

Huntsman will call for the ban in his State of the State address, confirmed his chief of staff Jason Chaffetz.

"It should be clear to anyone" who has listened to Huntsman over the past year "that the governor will do all he can to keep these higher-level of wastes out of Utah," Chaffetz said.

Huntsman's dedication to that principle has been questioned by activists, however. Since becoming governor two weeks ago he has declined to issue an executive order banning such wastes.

Envirocare is the West Desert firm that now is licensed to handle Class A waste, which is low-level radioactive material, largely contaminated dirt. Envirocare has an application pending to import B and C wastes, "hotter" material but still considered low-level.

"We will prohibit Class B and C wastes in this (legislative) session," said Chaffetz.

And that will be done with the agreement and understanding of the new owners of Envirocare, he added.

Envirocare is in the midst of an announced sale to a consortium that includes Steven Creamer, a Salt Lake entrepreneur. Earlier this month, Huntsman was severely criticized for accepting $40,000 in campaign donations from Creamer and returned the money. Envirocare officials have said they do not intend to import B and C wastes.

Under state law, this type of waste cannot be brought into Utah without specific permission of the Legislature and the governor. But that has not stopped activists from demanding that Huntsman immediately issue an executive order banning it.

Charles Judd, former president of Envirocare and now the president of a competing waste-disposal company called Cedar Mountain Environmental Inc. — whose site is adjacent to Envirocare's near Clive, Tooele County — told the Deseret Morning News earlier that he is considering seeking to dispose of the B and C wastes.

If Envirocare were to withdraw its application, the chances are high that Cedar Mountain would apply for its own permit.