A new effort is underway by Clark County to enable Southern Nevadans to have their say on the Yucca Mountain Project.
The Department of Energy wants to ship the nation's most radioactive nuclear waste to the repository site about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Click here to print the "Speak Up on Yucca Mountain" flyer.
Clark County wants to sound an alarm concerning plans to bring a nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, and county leaders want public opinion documented. They worry changes to the original site 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas will increase the danger to people in the valley.
Irene Navis, Clark County nuclear planning manager, said, "In their environmental impact statements they are proposing doubling the capacity of the repository, which doubles the number of shipments and the duration of the shipments."
Navis says Monday, Dec. 3 will be the last face-to-face public meeting with the Department of Energy. She adds a new county push for public involvement at that meeting started with this display in the government center.
Fliers have also been circulated.
The campaign by the county is called "Speak Up on Yucca Mountain." The goal is to overwhelm the Department of Energy with public concern on the project.
That will not stop the Department of Energy, but the county's nuclear planning manager says it will put the government agency on notice to concerns about property values, impacts on tourism, and public safety.
"Survey after survey we have seen 70 to 75-percent opposition to the repository. We want to make sure this is an event that reflects the interest in the issue," Navis continued.
Department of Energy spokesman Allen Benson says his agency has gone above and beyond to include the public.
They will hold a total of eight public hearings across the country giving people a last chance to be heard.
Allen Benson, DOE Yucca Mountain spokesman, said, "Are the comments listened to? The comments are absolutely listened to and we have to respond to the comments, whether or not we have missed something. Important for people to point out."
Clark County agrees and wants everyone's voice heard.
The public hearing will be at the Cashman Center on Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public will get a chance to speak face-to-face with DOE representatives.
You can also e-mail your comments to: YuccaOpinions@aol.com.
The public comment period ends on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008.
Click here to print the "Speak Up on Yucca Mountain" flyer.
DOE's Allen Benson says the license application will be submitted by Jun. 30, 2008.
If approved, the first nuclear waste would be shipped in 2017.
Gregor Gable
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