MUTH’S TRUTHS

I don’t pretend to be an expert on nuclear physics, but I do fancy myself rather adroit at sniffing out political BS. And when it comes to the debate over Yucca Mountain, you can cut it with an atomic-powered laser.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an advocate for Yucca. I’m only supporting a more open, honest and emotion-free debate on the issue. Indeed, as a dyed-in-the-wool Jeffersonian when it comes to state sovereignty you’d have to consider me an opponent at this point. My objections aren’t based so much on science as on the Constitution. Make a constitutional case for the feds being allowed to shove this project down our throats against our will and I’m willing to listen. Otherwise, ask our citizens (not the politicians) for permission, and be willing to take “no” for an answer if you can’t make your case or cut a mutually beneficial deal.

That being said, why is it that when pro-Yucca lobbyist and former Nevada Gov. Bob List says anything about Yucca Mountain, he’s denigrated as nothing more than a paid shill of the nuclear industry; however, when anti-Yucca lobbyist Bob Loux, who’s been hauling in six figures of taxpayers’ money to oppose Yucca Mountain for over 20 years now, says anything about Yucca Mountain we’re supposed to accept it as revealed scripture?

And have you ever noticed that most of the people, including Mr. Loux, who label the Yucca Mountain project as “junk science” aren’t scientists?

And why the hysteria over storing spent nuclear fuel rods in pretty much the same remote, desolate location where we once tested nuclear weapons and might do so again some day? If nuclear fallout from blowing up nukes underground hasn’t destroyed our state’s tourist industry, what are the odds that spent nuclear fuel rods stored in casks, sealed in solid concrete bunkers, and constantly monitored by the most cutting-edge technology on the planet will do so?

And speaking of the casks, we’re not talking about leaking black oil drums made out of eggshells with a skull-and-crossbones on the side and greenish-yellow gook oozing out. I seem to recall seeing a television program on these casks some years ago in which the casks were dropped from a helicopter without so much as being dented. Plus, the “waste” itself isn’t liquid, it’s solid pellets. In the event of a train derailment, it’s not like the casks are going to split open and release a modern-day version of “The Blob.”

Finally, why is the discussion always about this being permanent “waste” which will be around for 10,000 years? In fact, the odds now are that reprocessing technology will advance to the point that this “waste” repository will one day be a veritable gold mine. Move over Fort Knox! Nevada could very well end up being the nuclear research and reprocessing capital of the world, complete with some of the highest-paying jobs and lowest electricity rates on the planet.

Isn’t it time for Nevadans to begin discussing Yucca Mountain rationally instead of running around warning hysterically that flashlights will become obsolete once our kids start glowing in the dark?

Posted on December 31st, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada