LWVU Nuclear Waste Position

Written August 2006

Background:

The LWVU did a background information report on the state of hazardous waste in Utah in January 2005. It looked at how we got where we are and what if anything we can do about it.  The committee has prepared some discussion questions for local unit time and also some consensus questions. 

An update on Nuclear Waste issues as a result of the 2005 Legislative Session was also completed.

POSITION:

The following position was approved by the membership on August 5, 2006:

The LWV supports the 1990 law that created a process for approving commercial landfill waste sites for garbage, hazardous and radioactive waste. The law requires approval by all of the following: local officials, the state Division of Radiation Control, the Legislature and the Governor. Further, the League supports prohibiting storage of higher levels of low-level radioactive waste in landfills without approval of both the Legislature and the Governor. Public input must be part of the decision-making process.

The League supports:

· Frequent review and adjustment of nuclear waste taxes and regulatory fees.

· Supports Utah legislation to increase the interval between service on regulating bodies and employment by regulated industries to 2 to 5 years to decrease conflicts of interest.

· Adequate, dedicated, perpetual care funds for all radioactive waste storage facilities are vital to assure public safety for at least a century beyond site closure.

· Regulation and supervision by the state of Utah of any new mill tailings sites created when dormant or new uranium mines are brought into production.

The League has safety concerns about transportation of high level nuclear waste into and through the State of Utah.

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