And now:"Save Ward Valley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: CALL GOVERNOR DAVIS ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 AT 916/445-2841!!!!!! Tell him to delay no longer and end this project once and for all!! Lets flood the Capitol's switchboard with calls!!! We also encourage you to write Gov. Davis at: State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. VICTORY AT WARD VALLEY? NOT QUITE!! By Molly Johnson Despite all of the victories achieved in the fight to Save Ward Valley over the last few months, the war is STILL not over. Until the State of California withdraws the application to purchase the land from the Department of Interior, Ward Valley is not truly safe. Because of Gov. Gray Davis' long-standing opposition to the dump project, it was felt that when the US District Court in Washington, DC ruled that there was no binding contract to transfer ownership of 1,000 acres of land to California for the purpose of building a nuclear waste dump that Gov. Davis would withdraw the land application and stop the project once and for all. So far, that has not happened. On June 6, 1999 Gov. Davis issued a statement saying California would not pursue an appeal of the aforementioned court ruling. US Ecology, however, despite the fact they had originally stated they would not appeal when the decision was first announced, have appealed and are still requesting the land. At the time of the announcement that the state would not appeal Gov. Davis also announced a panel of experts and environmentalists would be established to explore alternatives for the disposal of nuclear waste. Unfortunately, rather than choosing a neutral expert on radioactive waste to head the panel, he chose University of California President Richard Atkinson. The University of California is a producer of radioactive waste and a proponent of Ward Valley! The Governor also made no mention of including the Tribes of the Lower Colorado River, those people most affected by the project, in this panel. The Colorado River Native Nation Alliance and the Ward Valley Coalition have contacted the Governor's office and protested the exclusion of the Tribes. They have requested the panel be comprised of all stakeholders--Native American Tribes, social justice and environmental organizations and independent scientists. They have also asked for meetings between tribal leaders and the Governor. Those requests have yet to be granted. In fact, despite thousands of phone calls, letters, faxes, e-mails, and postcards asking for the immediate withdrawal of the land application and thus the end of the project, the silence from the Governor's office has been deafening. We ask, "What is the delay?" The court has ruled, the California State legislature refused to provide any funding for the proposed Ward Valley dump in the new budget, the people have spoken loud and clear. The only action left to be done is the withdrawal of the land application. CALL GOVERNOR DAVIS ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 AT 916/445-2841. Tell him to delay no longer and end this project once and for all!! Lets flood the Capitol's switchboard with calls!!! We also encourage you to write Gov. Davis at: State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. For more information contact the Save Ward Valley office: 107 F St., Needles, CA, 92363 ph.: 760/326-6267 fax: 760/326-6268 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
