Sam Gibbons: “Senate bill 1287, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments of 1999, has been introduced in the United States Senate. Although…”

“Senate bill 1287, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments of 1999, has been introduced in the United States Senate. Although this bill would not establish a temporary nuclear storage facility in Nevada, you should be aware of its misguided attempts to deal with the permanent disposal of nuclear waste. The passage of this legislation would place unneeded and dangerous environmental, safety, and health risks upon millions of Americans. Therefore, I would urge the President to uphold his commitment to Nevada and the American people by reaffirming his veto promise. Senate bill 187 would accelerate the time line for permanent disposal at Yucca Mountain, ignoring the ongoing scientific studies and our Nation's environmental laws that were designed to protect its citizens. It would also allow the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, not the EPA, to establish dangerous radiation standards. Such a change in law would facilitate contamination of groundwater supplies and endanger all Americans along the transportation routes with higher dosage of deadly radiation, ultimately destroying the lives of American families. Mr. President, where is your promise? The American people deserve to hear your voice on this critically important issue.”