Guinn says better reaction from Congress this time

Gov. Kenny Guinn says he was much happier with the reaction from members of Congress this time than the last time he testified against Yucca Mountain.

Guinn made the comments after speaking before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee subcommittees on railroads, transportation and hazardous materials about the dangers of moving high level nuclear waste across the U.S.

"It was entirely the opposite of the energy commission," he said.

"Only one person came out and said we want it out of Michigan and taken to Yucca Mountain," he said. "Nine or 10 to one were saying, 'We're concerned about Yucca Mountain and maybe it shouldn't be moved along as fast.'"

He said he doesn't believe the members who attended Thursday's hearing were under nearly as much influence from the nuclear power industry. And he credited Nevada congressional members Jim Gibbons and Shelley Berkley for helping get Nevada's arguments to those subcommittee members about the dangers of transporting the waste.

Guinn repeated Nevada's complaints that Yucca Mountain is "the product of extremely bad science, extremely bad law and extremely bad public policy."

He told members of those subcommittees moving tons of nuclear waste across the country to Nevada "will expose tens of millions of Americans to unnecessary nuclear transport risks."

He repeated Nevada's claims that the conclusions used to support selection of Yucca Mountain by the Energy Department and President George Bush are not based on sound science.