And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Source: <A HREF="http://www.industrywatch.com/story/19990316/07/20/2961942_st.html"> http://www.industrywatch.com/story/19990316/07/20/2961942_st.html</A> ========================================================= N. Mexico seeking block of radioactive shipment The U.S. government agrees to keep the material where it is while awaiting a ruling. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram WASHINGTON - New Mexico officials asked a federal judge yesterday to block plans to begin shipping low-level radioactive waste to an underground storage site in their state. The government agreed to keep the waste where it is while awaiting a ruling. The Energy Department is ready to make the first shipments of so-called "transuranic" radioactive waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico as soon as possible, but state officials argued that a state permit is required first. The state and four environmental groups asked U.S. District Judge John Garrett Penn to issue an injunction for waste shipments to the WIPP, as the site is commonly called, pending the state permit. "If you can bring in the waste before the permit, we might as well not have a permitting process," Lindsay Lovejoy, the state's deputy attorney general, told the judge. He argued that by law the department needs the state permit to begin accepting shipments at WIPP near Carlsbad, N.M. To allow shipments now would disrupt the permit process, he argued. But Justice Department attorneys maintained that the transport of 36 drums of waste from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, also in New Mexico, does not require the state permit because the material, although radioactive, does not contain any toxic chemicals covered by the state hazardous waste law. And they contend that the site, having been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, has been cleared for waste shipments. The two sides have agreed that no wastes will be shipped for at least 11 days and Penn indicated that he would rule on whether to issue an injunction by then. Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson reiterated in testimony before a congressional committee yesterday that the administration remains opposed to construction of an interim storage site for high-level nuclear spent fuel in Nevada. Thousands of tons of the high-level waste remains at commercial nuclear power plants across the country. The administration contends that an interim storage site would reduce the incentive for permanent burial of this waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada where scientists are trying to determine if the geology there is suitable for long- term burial. ====================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Have you visited our new web site? http://www.onelist.com Onelist: Helping to create Internet communities ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DOEWatch List --- Subscribe online: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/doewatch"We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesized in the Euphrates Valley Era, after Noah and his fabulous Ark. Anyway we think we have found the way to cause the disintegration of the atom." -Quote from Truman's diary July 25, 45 after Pottsdam and the "baby was born"""The Doctor of the future will give No Medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."."-Attributed to Thomas Alva Edisonn"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act"t"-George Orwell &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
