Chat with Chic, December 20, 1985

Chat with Chic A Report from Washington December 20, 1985 By U.S. Senator Chic Hecht First session of the 99th Congress is winding down and it seems an appropriate time to over the past year and consider what challenges may lie ahead. 1985 was certainly a year of contrasts. It was 12 months filled with terrorists attacks and spy scandal revelations, of tensions and peace talks between the United States and the Soviet Union. Here at home, the Congress wrangled over the budget deficit, tax reform, farm subsidies and trade legislation. Issues of special concern to Nevadans this year include wilderness, federal land withdrawals and transfers and nuclear waste and research. The congressional delegation remains divided over the question of how much of Nevada should be locked up in roadless wilderness areas. Although a public hearing was held in Washington this year, most Nevadans have not been heard on this issue. I've scheduled five hearings of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for the week of February 10, 1986 in Ely, Elko, Winnemucca, Reno and Las Vegas. I'm hopeful these hearings will help bring all the various arguments into sharp focus so we can move ahead early next year. We had some disappointments in 1985. Nevada was passed over in favor of Washington State to participate in a $500 million nuclear space reactor project (SP 100) that could have provided several thousand jobs in our state. Unfortunately, Nevada has been sending out mixed signals about Chat with Chic, page 2 just how we feel about nuclear energy, whether for waste storage or re-search, while other states were speaking with one voice. If there is a lesson to be learned from this loss, I believe it is that we must view the future of nuclear energy in responsible, realistic terms. Let us start educating ourselves about the role it will play at the Nevada Test Site. Many other states, including California, New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Idaho and Washington are reaping huge benefits from numerous nuclear research and development projects. For example, in addition to the recently announced SP 100 program, the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory in Washington has a fiscal 1986 budget of $79 milli and an estimated staffing level of more that a thousand persons for reacto engineering. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory's budget is $89 million with a staffing level of 1,200. The list goes on. Are we going to repeatedly lose out to other states? I can assure you that I will continue to use my position on the Senator Energy and Natural Resources Committee to attract new research projects to Nevada. Senator Laxalt and I both are optimistic that the Superconducting Super Collider, which is a proposed $4 billion atom smasher, can be built somewhere in Nevada. There may be some highly classified projects up for grabs also over the new few years as well. But as we look ahead toward 1986, an excellent New Year's resolution would be for all of us to work together for the good of Nevada. Our voice will be heard if it is calm and reasoned. To play politics with the serio issues facing Nevada may result in a few votes for some opportunistic officials. However, as we've seen this year, it is the entire state that pays the price.