Is it a state's right to import nuclear waste?

[flashl]

Bishop says feds shouldn't keep states from importing waste

If states are willing to accept foreign nuclear waste, there's no reason the federal government should prohibit them, says a Utah congressman whose district could get tons of Italian leftovers.

"I don't see it as a federal issue," U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop told The Associated Press.

"If the state of Tennessee wants to take it, and if the state of Utah wants to take it, I'm going to punt it back to them. It is within their purview," the Republican said.

EnergySolutions Inc. wants to import about 20,000 tons of waste from Italian nuclear plants for processing in Tennessee. After processing, about 1,600 tons would be shipped to the company's facility 70 miles west of Salt Lake City — and within Bishop's district —, for disposal. It is the largest and only privately owned radioactive-waste dump in the U.S.

The company's application is at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is taking public comment through June 10.

Morning News

No prob, we know what stewards of the environment U.S. businesses have been. See: Environmental Justice

[bananas]

1. Aren't navigable waterways under federal jurisdiction?

edit to add: I don't think it's possible to get it to Utah or Tennessee without passing through an area which has federal jurisdiction.

[elleng]

3. Yes

they are.

[Clovis Sangrail]

4. If it's a local issue

then Charleston, SC could make themselves a nuclear free zone and they would have to find some other port of entry.\
It would be best, however, if they waited to do this until *just before the first shipment was scheduled to happen.... it'll cost the reprocessing place more that way.

[elleng]

2. Transportation (interstate commerce) and storage (enviro)

sure are federal issues.

NRC has an application process; last time I checked, NRC was a federal bureaucracy.

[bananas]

5. Also "securing the borders" is in there somewhere... nt

[flashl]

6. We may all develop 'glowing' dispositions when combining Yucca and foreign nuclear imports

Volume for 38 Years: Overall, forty-three states would receive shipments. Fifteen states will experience daily shipments of deadly high-level radioactive waste.

Sierra Club