Pandering to Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate, further muddies Obama's credentials as an effective, bipartisan President.
But that's fine.
We have just one nagging question.
The federal government is obligated by law to accept the used reactor fuel from 104 commercial power reactors, but as yet it has no place to put it. The spent fuel, growing at the rate of 2,000 tons a year, is being held in pools and aboveground concrete containers at reactor sites.
What happens to it?
What happens to us if terrorists steal it? If earthquakes or tornadoes spread it?
The current policy is no policy. It is worse than dumb. It is stupid and dangerous.
But no state wants to host the long-term storage site. The Nevada site had been vetted by previous administrations, both Republican and Democratic. Yes, Nevada loses. But sometimes, for the national good, specific areas have to give a bit. That's the essence of a federal system of government.
So if Obama hasn't gotten at least 2,000 tons per year of the high-level radioactive waste disposed of by 2012 - he should be defeated for re-election.
There are alternatives. Reprocessing of spent fuel, as is done in Europe, is an alternative.
But we don't have a decade. We don't even have years.
The nation needs more nuclear power plants to combat environmental pollution and curb our dependence on foreign fuels, both oil and gas.
But we have no way to deal with the waste, which can kill us by the millions.
OK, Mr. President. Yucca Mountain is scrapped.
Now, put up something else that works and is affordable. This year. Or revive the Yucca Mountain plan. Or become just another sad shadow of a political hack.
- Denny Bonavita
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