Sam Gibbons: “the environment and safety of America is in danger. Two bills have been introduced to Congress, S. 104 and H.R. 1270…”

“the environment and safety of America is in danger. Two bills have been introduced to Congress, S. 104 and H.R. 1270, that would establish an interim storage facility at Yucca Mountain, NV. Several problems become very evident when the legislation is examined. First, moving 80,000 tons of waste from 109 reactor sites will traverse 43 States. Second, in the last 20 years there have been more than 621 earthquakes within a 50-mile radius of Yucca Mountain. Third, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a central interim storage facility will cost taxpayers $2.3 billion from 1997 to the year 2002, seven times more than on-site storage. Finally, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, a bipartisan organization created by Congress, concluded that 'There is no compelling technical or safety reason to move spent fuel to a central facility.' This issue is not just a Nevada safety issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote no on interim storage.”