Re: GAO Challenges Yucca Plans

[RuthWeiner@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/30/01 5:14:30 PM Mountain Standard Time, jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET writes:



> dispose of nukewaste  by the safest and least expensive 
>
> method available.
>
> That method would clearly be oceanic disposal. Essentially, the necessary 
>
> information is already at hand. No further studies would be needed. 


Not so.  The investigation of deep ocean disposal was stopped when it was by no means at a point at which disposal could actually begin.  Moreover, SNF would not be retrievable from the deep ocean.  My guess is that another 20 years would pass before we would actually dispose of any spent fuel in the ocean.  Instead of the State of Nevada we would have Greenpeace and other international anti-nuke groups, and who knows how many nations.  Instead of national politics, we would have international politics.


If the problems with Yucca Mountain are political, they are NOT insurmountable -- it just takes a tiny bit of political courage, and maybe not even that.


Moreover, I submit that if Yucca Mountain is "scrapped" we will never be allowed to forget it and there will not be another nuke plant built in the US in my granddaughter's lifetime (she is 11). I'd say get on with it.  And by the way, opening Yucca Mountain will cut a lot of jobs. 


Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com