Top Ten Reasons Why Nuclear Waste at Yucca Mountain Should be Stopped and Top Actions Rep. Shelley Berkley has taken in Congress to Fight Yucca Mountain, January 11, 2000, for Citizens Nuclear Information Committee press conference (2 pages)

Top Ten Reasons Why Nuclear Waste at Yucca Mountain Should be Stopped Rep. Shelley Berkley Citizens Nuclear Information Committee press conference 1/11/2000 10. Too political...Due to political considerations (not scientific findings) Yucca Mountain was designated as the only test site in 1987, ignoring Congress' request to study nine potential nuclear storage sites in 1982. 9. Too much of a bad thing... By comparison, the Three Mile Island accident released 15 curies of radiation, comprised mostly of short-lived radioactive iodine. Yucca Mountain would hold 3 billion curies of radiation, a substantial portion with a half-life of more than 20,000 years. It doesn't seem to be a good idea to store this much nuclear waste in any one area. 8. Fallout will remain radioactive for centuries... In the case of a severe accident, fallout would contaminate waste, milk and produce, similar to the events throughout Europe from the Chernobyl accident. Wildlife and plant life would become infected, increasing radiation contamination across the country. 7. Susceptible to earthquakes and volcanos... Yucca Mountain lies in the middle of earthquake and volcanic country. It contains 33 known fault lines and is stretching at least 10 times faster than government scientists had predicted. 6. Contaminate water supply...Scientists have found that Yucca Mountain is not as arid as they had predicted. It is estimated that the Mountain will be flooded with groundwater in a matter of decades, not centimes 5. ( Vay/.v too much money... Yucca Mountain has already consumed $7.4 billion in funding. If we continue at this rate, it would easily cost $50 billion before the project is completed. 4. Nuclear waste is vulnerable to transportation.. .The transportation of spent nuclear fuel will impact communities throughout Nevada and across the nation. The DOE has estimated that 96,000 truck shipments throughout 43 states will be vulnerable to up to 3 10 accidents. 3. Detrimental Health Risk to Nevadans...EPA Administrator Carol Browner has questioned why Nevadans shouldn't be protected to the same standards as other states and countries. 2. DOE keeps changing the eligibility requirements...The only reason Yucca Mountain is still the proposed site is because the DOE changes the rules time and time again. /. Stigmatize Nevada...We are one accident away from ruining the economy of Southern Nevada which, ironically, has not produced one ounce of nuclear waste. Top Actions Rep. Shelley Berkley has taken in Congress to Fight Yucca Mountain: Rep. Shelley Berkley Citizens Nuclear Information Committee press conference 1/11/2000 1. Testified in the House Commerce Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources in opposition to H.R. 45, the Nuclear Waste Bill. 2. Spoke three times on the House floor opposing the Nuclear Waste Bill 3. Secured support from Administration and Rep. Gephardt in opposing the Nuclear Waste Bill. 4. Helped to secure the veto threat from the President on the Senate's Nuclear Waste Bill 5. Offered and successfully passed a $6 million amendment to H.R. 1655, the Energy Department Research and Development Act, to promote the onsite transmutation of nuclear waste.