US Nuclear Commissioners Have Voted On Fate Of Yucca Mountain

[kristopher]

US Nuclear Commissioners Have Voted On Fate Of Yucca Mountain
By Tennille Tracy, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. nuclear commissioners said Wednesday that they have voted on the Obama administration's request to abandon a nuclear waste project at Yucca Mountain, Nev., appearing to contradict recent statements by the chairman of the U.S. nuclear agency suggesting the commissioners were still debating the issue.

The news escalates a years-long debate over Yucca Mountain and fuels a Republican-led effort to scrutinize the recent actions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for deciding the fate of Yucca Mountain.

The NRC was asked to vote on the controversial Yucca Mountain project after the Energy Department submitted a request to abandon the project in March 2010.

Republicans have accused NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko of intentionally delaying a vote on Yucca Mountain, questioning whether Jaczko is unwilling to let the project move forward.

Before becoming ...

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201105041212dowjonesdjonline000462&title=us-nuclear-commissioners-have-voted-on-fate-of-yucca-mountain

[buddysmellgood]

1. How odd. They voted but aren't giving the result?

[FBaggins]

2. Possibly some time back.

Aren't there only five commissioners?

So when Jaczo says he's "working to develop a majority" can that possibly mean there's a tie? Or does it hint that the majority is against him and he's trying to fight to keep it from coming out?

[bananas]

4. The NRC is stacked with shills

There are supposed to be 5 commissioners, but under Bush there were only 3 because he wanted to keep the deck stacked.
Dale Klein resigned so Obama had 3 appointments and he made sure the commission remained stacked by appointing Magwood.
See http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2010/02/nrc-needs-nuclear-power-regulators-not-promoters.html
and http://nukefree.org/news/NEWSIGN-ONLETTERTOPRESIDENTOBAMAONNRCCOMMISSIONERS

[FBaggins]

6. Are they senate confirmed?

If so... What remains of your point?

[phantom power]

3. I've been wondering - is there anybody advocating some other location?

I've read a fair amount on the pros and cons of Yucca. I've read literally nothing about any proposed alternatives. I assume there was some kind of list of candidates that Yucca itself was chosen from.

[bananas]

5. 5 locations were proposed, there were supposed to be 3 dumps by now - it was forced on Nevada

IIRC, there were 5 locations proposed
Nobody wanted it so they all maneuvered politically to be excluded.
Yucca was left holding the bag.
It was forced on Nevada against their will,
that's why they call it the "Screw Nevada" bill.

Also the "scientists" working on Yucca faked their reports, it was a big scandal.
edit to add: that's one reason nobody wants it - they know that you just can't trust the nuclear industry.