nuclear-news

An evil Christmas present for Texas – nuclear waste importing

“This is an evil Christmas present from WCS and Harold Simmons,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of the liberal environmental group Public Citizen of Texas. After a news conference blasting the plan, Smith and other environmentalists rolled a black barrel, with a radioactive symbol on the outside, under the state Christmas tree outside the Texas Capitol

Activists protest nuke waste plan for West Texas Houston Chronicle, 24 Dec  2010 The Associated Press  AUSTIN, Texas — Warning that Texas could soon become the dumping grounds for nuclear waste from around the nation, environmentalists accused state regulators and a politically connected company Thursday of rushing a dump expansion proposal past Texans who are too focused on the holidays to even notice.

Waste Control Specialists, whose majority owner is Dallas billionaire and prolific political donor Harold Simmons, wants state regulators to approve its proposal to allow low-level radioactive waste at its West Texas dump site from three dozen states. As it stands, the compact site can only get waste from Texas, Vermont and the federal government. The latest public comment period ends on Sunday, and the company wants a vote within days.

“This is an evil Christmas present from WCS and Harold Simmons,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of the liberal environmental group Public Citizen of Texas. After a news conference blasting the plan, Smith and other environmentalists rolled a black barrel, with a radioactive symbol on the outside, under the state Christmas tree outside the Texas Capitol……….The decision on whether to allow the importation of waste from other states rests with the eight-member Texas commission, made up of appointees by the governors of Texas and Vermont. Those states have a compact that allows both states to bury nuclear waste at the privately operated site in remote Andrews County, which straddles the Texas-New Mexico border….

Activists protest nuke waste plan for West Texas | AP Texas News | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle

December 24, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes