Ward Valley "fill-the-blanks"

[JMUCKERHEIDE@delphi.com]

Ed and group,

Re:  Comments and political communications on Ward Valley:

I'm working on the following form of statement. I'd appreciate any input to
"fill-in-the-blanks". 

I continue to be prepared to support the drafting of such a more complete and
positive statement to the effect that: 


"Waste is dry solids packaged in high-intgrity containers, BUT IF it were
liquid... 

"It would take ___ thousands of years to begin to get to the water table, BUT
IF it took only a few hundred years... 

"The water table does not connect with the Colorado River, BUT IF it flowed
directly to the Colorado River.... 

"It would take ___ thousand years to reach the river, BUT IF it flowed
directly to the river in only another few hundred years... 

"It could discharge only those radionuclides that lived more than a few
hundred years, BUT IF it dicharged those radionuclides, in a hundred years it
would discharge as much radioactivity as flows down the Colorado today in ___
hours (minutes?) today, and every day. 

"No addition to natural radiation could ever be detected, even under these
most extreme, hypothetical, impossible, conditions for release of
radioactivity. 

"This is a non-existent risk. The need for more scientific work and monitoring 
of the site with regard to possible releases are completely unnecessary costs
for public safety. 

"For this risk, government and industry complying with government requirements 
are spending $100s millions of public dollars to provide for degrees of
control and assurance that are far in excess of providing public health and
safety. 

"Since no possible public health risk exists from disposal of LLW at Ward
Valley, it is time to transfer the land and develop the site, and to stop the
massive unnecessary public costs being spent in this siting effort for no
public benefit." 


I'd appreciate your comments. And again seek your support, and offer to
contribute, to prepare a more responsible position on Ward Valley siting. 

Thanks.

Regards, Jim