Re[2]: Yucca Mountain articles

[Steven.Rima@DOEGJPO.COM (Steven Rima)]

     Mike et al,
     
     I can't speak for other radsafers, but it seems to me that if we 
     already have a site that, for radiological reasons, will never be 
     cleaned up or released for unrestricted use (like the NTS) it should 
     receive a much higher priority as a potential radioactive waste site. 
     I will readily admit that I don't understand the geological and other 
     issues with the NTS, but I can state with very clear conviction that 
     storing all spent fuel in ANY one location, whether it's at NTS or 
     not, is much safer than the situation we now have where it's stored 
     locally at many sites around the country.
     
     As for the assertion that if the environmental lobby had been stronger 
     in the 50's we'd have done all nuclear weapons testing "in the 
     Pacific", that's a perfect example of the Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) 
     philosophy. That is exactly the reason we're in the sorry state we 
     find ourselves in now with regard to disposal of anything deemed 
     radioactive.
     
     If we could remove the politics and NIMBY philosophy out of this issue 
     and instead rely strictly on technical issues and judgement, we would 
     have had a high level radioactive waste repository in operation many 
     years ago. (Hey, if I can dream of winning the lottery, I can dream of 
     something even less likely to occur!)
     
     Steven D. Rima, CHP, CSP
     Manager, Health Physics and Industrial Hygiene
     MACTEC-ERS, LLC
     steven.rima@doegjpo.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Yucca Mountain articles
Author:  Mike McKinnon <mmckinno.ndep-lv@ndep.carson-city.nv.us> at Internet
Date:    12/21/98 12:41 PM


The underground contamination problem is being studied at Nevada Test Site 
(NTS).  In all, between 1957 and 1992, there were over 800 underground 
nuclear tests performed at NTS.  Some of these underground tests were 
performed at or below the water table.  Although most of the radioactivity 
is contained within the explosion cavity, there is some soluble radionuclide 
migration (such as tritium).  I'm not sure that I understand your logic that 
if it is already contaminated, let's crap it up some more.  The underground 
testing has left the State of Nevada with a legacy from which it will never 
be free.  I suspect that if the environmental lobby had been stronger in the 
early '50s, the U.S. would have conducted all nuclear testing in the 
Pacific. I also suspect that if your job included considering the well being 
of the people of Nevada, that you wouldn't be so quick with this proposal. 
     
Mike McKinnon, PE, CHP
State of Nevada
Division of Environmental Protection 
mmckinno.ndep-lv@ndep.carson-city.nv.us 
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