Why did Bernie cosponsor a bill and vote to dump Vermont’s nuclear waste in a poor Latino community?

[MiaCulpa]

112. Why did Bill Clinton sign it into law?

I agree it was a bad vote. I don't know why Sanders voted for it without hearing from him directly, and it's late so, my educated guess is there was a lot of pressure to find a place that would have as little environmental impact as possible. As I understood it then, the elevation of the area was considered "good" and that the remaining town of Sierra Blanca, 5 miles west of the proposed site was 30% vacant, boarded up buildings. There was much ado over money that the county in TX would receive from states participating in the pact. The only library in Sierra Blanca was built, among other pluses for the tiny community that lived well below the poverty level, and was never expected to thrive again in any way. This was also low-level nuke waste that would all have dissipated within 100 years.

Even after Clinton signed it into law, the committee in TX that had to give final approval for the site did not do so after much community protest, which is a good thing. When citizens are against something and protest, it's always excellent when community/state officials listen and give heed to their wishes.

I wouldn't have wanted the waste near my community, but I don't know where my state stores such, like Gov. Snyder would tell anyone? Also, I do still support Bernie Sanders for President.

Here's an old post that gives a lot of info on these events:

http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/texans-defend-sierra-blanca-community-against-nuclear-waste-disposal-1996-1998