Texas Moves Closer to Expanding Radioactive Waste Dump
The House gave preliminary approval today to a bill that will give a politically connected operator broad authority to set the rates it charges for radioactive waste imported into Texas for disposal.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Tryon Lewis, R-Odessa, passed the House 108 to 36 after more than an hour of floor debate. It smooths the way for the company to accept low-level radioactive waste from several dozen states in addition to Texas and Vermont, which already have an agreement to use the West Texas site.
Opponents of the bill expressed concerns about the potential profit margins of ...
Comments (5)
David Thompson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Parliament of whores (P.J. O'Rourke)
patricia edwards
why can't the other states store their own radioactive trash ? its bad enough we have a radioactive texas legislature.
Betty Hamilton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thanks Texas Tribune for keeping us up to date. It seems that few other publications even mention it -- especially out in West Texas where we will have to live with this dump!
Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can the dump be in Juarez? pronounced "Wha-rrrez",with rolling "R's" and beautiful cultural customs...
Julia Wallace
Andrews County is one of the LEAST politically connected operators imaginable or this county would not have sent over $125 Million to the state to "redistribute" to other schools while having to pass almost $100 million in bonds locally to update and maintain facilities, provide computers and updated technology to students and replace busses (some of which are 25-30 years old) to safely transport kids. The site in Andrews County to which this article refers is not owned by some out-of-touch Dallas Billionaire with political ties who has "bought" the legislature. Instead, it is a partnership between Andrews County and a business partner willing to invest millions of dollars in an industry perfectly suited to the dry, arid climate of West Texas and the geology of Andrews County. Those who suggest otherwise are either lying or misinformed. It has taken almost 20 years of persistence on the part of the community and the company, millions of dollars of investment and volumes of licensing applications to reach this point.
Since when did it become a crime in this country to make a profit? And, what other privately owned company in this free market economy is expected to give the government 30% of their gross receipts right off the top? “Pork-barrel project” - whom is Rep. Burnam trying to fool? He has long been in bed with anti-nuke groups - SEED Coalition, Public Citizen, True Cost of Nukes and others and his “concern” is nothing more than pure politics.
The state-of-the-art waste disposal facility (FAR from being a dump) in Andrews County is one of the most highly regulated sites IN THE COUNTRY and it has been extensively studied for over 20 years by some of the most renowned geologist, environmentalist and scientist in the nation - it is ludicrous to suggest that it needs “increased environmental regulations or further study.” Most opponents have neither visited the site nor have they carefully examined the information garnered from the extensive research on and analysis of the site - research commissioned by the corporation, the County, private foundations, TCEQ, the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and others.
This is NOT about billionaires and backroom politics, it is, instead, about a community in West Texas struggling to diversify its economy and to provide for the future of both its citizens and the citizens of this great nation.