Yucca Mountain of Nuclear Waste

Re “Nuclear Dump in Nevada Gets Bush OK,” Feb. 16: President Bush states that the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site should be approved, based in part on Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham’s recommendation that it is “technically suitable” and “the science behind this project is sound.” To what “sound science” is he referring, since study of the area is not complete?

In 1992, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake caused $400,000 damage to the Energy Department’s office at the Yucca Mountain study site. Although favored by the nuclear industry as a depository, Yucca Mountain is in a volcanic area crossed by 34 fault lines and perched over a huge aquifer. In addition, Nevada is the third most seismically active state after California and Alaska.

When the issue is global warming, Bush concludes we need to move slowly or that the science isn’t sound, yet he rushes into approval of a containment site for lethal nuclear fuel. This, coupled with candidate Bush’s promise to the voters of Nevada to not to approve the use of Yucca Mountain unless it was deemed scientifically safe, is one more instance of his clear loyalty to the energy industry over the safety of Americans.

Leslie Anderson

Jacob Crabtree

Altadena

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I bet the governor of Nevada and all the other good old boys who supported Bush are wondering why he could not find a suitable nuclear waste site in that huge state of Texas. Yeehaw!

Chuck Heinold

West Hills

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On Feb. 16 you featured two front-page headlines: “Nuclear Dump in Nev. Gets Bush OK” and “Bush Officials Target Key Habitat Protections.” What will the final tally be by the end of this administration’s ecologically indifferent term?

Elizabeth Murray

La Habra