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* GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE *
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>> CLINTON ASKED NOT TO NOMINATE A "NUCLEAR WASTE NEGOTIATOR"
FEDERAL PROGRAM TO SITE NUKE DUMP ON INDIAN LANDS OPPOSED
DENVER, August 17, 1993 (GP) Environmental and Native American
organizations today called on the Clinton Administration not to
nominate a new U.S. Nuclear Waste Negotiator, the federal nuclear
waste lobbyist, whose primary job is to offer grants of up to $3
million to any community willing to consider hosting a dump for
radioactive waste from nuclear reactors.
The Negotiator's offer has attracted the interest of eight
Native American governing councils, which have been promised
cash, roads, schools, hospitals, and more if the dump -- called
the Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility -- is sited on
their land.
In a letter to the President, released today, the nine
groups quote the Senate's only Native American, Ben Nighthorse
Campbell (D-CO), who denounced the Waste Negotiator's program
last year: "It is like the old treaties," said Campbell. "The
government's playing the same game. If you're hurting bad
enough, you'll sign anything."
The letter, which calls the entire MRS program "wasteful"
and "dangerous," comes as the Clinton Administration considers
whether to replace the Bush Administration's Negotiator, David
Leroy, who left office June 11. Twenty tribal governments asked
Leroy for grants to consider the MRS dump. The four counties
that requested grants have dropped out.
"Under pressure from the nuclear power industry, the Energy
Department hopes that by dumping radioactive waste in a large,
'temporary' facility, it will create the illusion that such
waste is disposable," the groups wrote Clinton. "In so doing,
the Department hopes to placate the concerns of an increasing
number of citizens who are alarmed at the growing volume of high-
level radioactive waste, which -- in fact -- is non-disposable."
The organizations' letter points out that Clinton can decide
not to nominate a Negotiator. "After all," they wrote, "former
President Ronald Reagan chose not to nominate a Negotiator,
leaving the position empty for about two years."
The organizations signing the letter are: Environmental
Coalition on Nuclear Power, Greenpeace, National Environmental
Coalition of Native Americans, Native Americans for a Clean
Environment, Nuclear Free America, Nuclear Information and
Resource Service, Public Citizen, Safe Energy Communication
Council, Southwest Research and Information Center, and the Water
Information Network.
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Contact: Jason Salzman, Greenpeace
(303) 786-8805
Mary Olson, NIRS
(202) 328-0002