THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
Thursday, April 13, 2000
All Quiet at Waste-Storage Hearing
BY BRENT ISRAELSEN
Utahns opposed to radioactive waste disposal in the Beehive State made little noise Wednesday during the first round of public hearings in Envirocare of Utah's quest to import more and hotter waste.
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNEBut they vowed that unless the state nixes Envirocare's plans, their opposition soon will become more intense, more visible and more, shall we say, exposed.
"Ed Firmage has suggested that people march down South Temple naked" if necessary, said Salt Lake County resident Marilyn Welles, referring to the University of Utah law professor and peace activist who is weighing in on the Envirocare debate.
In the hearing before the director of the Utah Division of Radiation Control, Welles was one of a half-dozen people who spoke against Envirocare's attempt to gain state approval for so-called "class B" and "class C" radioactive wastes.
Currently, Envirocare is permitted only for "class A" wastes, which are primarily contaminated soils.
Class B and C wastes -- materials contaminated by nuclear-power plants, research labs and hospitals -- are significantly more radioactive. Though by volume they would constitute just a small percentage of Envirocare's business, they would significantly boost the radioactivity of total wastes disposed.
In the 10 years Envirocare has been accepting class A wastes, the company has disposed of an average of 40 curies of radioactive elements per year. If its application for class B and C wastes is approved, the company would dispose of an average of 50,000 to 100,000 curies per year for the next 40 years, said Envirocare President Charles Judd.
Envirocare says the wastes can be disposed of safely in concrete casks buried in concrete vaults, where it would rest for thousands of years in the Envirocare landfill, located in a dry, remote corner of Tooele County, 80 miles west of Salt Lake City and 20 miles from the nearest town.
Wednesday's hearing, similar to one held in Tooele two weeks ago, is to gather public opinion on whether Envirocare's landfill is an appropriate site for the wastes. Because Envirocare already disposes of class A wastes, it likely will have no trouble persuading state officials that its existing landfill site is appropriate for the hotter wastes. Written public comments on the siting phase of Envirocare's application are due Monday.
If the Division of Radiation Control approves the siting phase, state regulators then will move to the licensing" phase, a more rigorous review of safety, transportation, emergency response and environmental concerns.
Once approved by the division, the license must then get approval from both houses of the Utah legislature as well as the governor. Since the Legislature meets just once a year, Envirocare is pushing the division to complete the licensing phase by January.
Division Director Bill Sinclair made no promises on Wednesday about when his office will act on Envirocare's application.
"I'm going to have it done when I feel environmental and public health can be protected," Sinclair said.
Anti-nuclear activists hope the Legislature or governor will kill the proposal. They already are talking about "massive civil disobedience" if Envirocare's plans are approved.
Though class B and C wastes are significantly hotter than class A wastes, they are millions of times less radioactive than the high-level spent nuclear fuel proposed for storage on the Skull Valley Band of the Goshute Indian reservation, about 45 miles west of Salt Lake City.
Gov. Mike Leavitt opposes the Goshute proposal. He has taken no position on the Envirocare proposal.