Measure resolves to oppose Yucca Mountain dump project

By Ben Botkin Las Vegas Review-Journal Capital Bureau

8 years ago

A flower blooms outside the north portal during a congressional tour of the Yucca Mountain exploratory tunnel Thursday, April 9, 2015. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Congressional staff members, media and Department of Energy employees wait for congressmen to emerge from the north portal during a congressional tour of the Yucca Mountain exploratory tunnel Thursday, April 9, 2015. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

This is a view of the south portal during a congressional tour of the Yucca Mountain exploratory tunnel Thursday, April 9, 2015. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

CARSON CITY – A resolution restating the Legislature’s opposition to any effort to license Yucca Mountain as a high-level nuclear waste dump was approved Monday by an Assembly panel.

The Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee passed the Assembly Joint Resolution 10. The measure now goes to the full Assembly for a vote.

AJR10 was introduced last month just as the Trump administration announced a budget request of $120 million to restart licensing proceedings with the goal of making it the burial site for 77,000 metric tons of the nation’s spent nuclear fuel.

Opposition to Yucca Mountain is widespread. The measure is supported by Gov. Brian Sandoval and Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who have both vowed to fight any effort to restart the dump project.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.