If you cover criminal justice in the Pacific Northwest — or want to — we’re hosting a free virtual training that may be useful to you and your newsroom
The battle over where to put foreign radioactive waste is getting hotter in Utah, where Rep. Jim Matheson has sent a letter to Gov. Gary Herbert calling Energy Solutions Inc.'s offer to share its profits with the state nothing short of "influence peddling," according to a report by Matt Canham and Thomas Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Salt Lake City-based nuclear services company has proposed a deal that could net the state $3 billion over a decade, and Senate Majority Leader Sheldon Killpack, mindful the state's budget is $700 million short, said the offer should be reconsidered.
"It's a horrible idea to consider opening up Utah to the entire world's radioactive garbage in exchange for a share of what the company says are the profits," Matheson said in the Tribune story. "No other country on Earth takes another country's nuclear waste and I am determined that the U.S. won't be the exception."
The latest salvo against the proposal follows a federal court ruling earlier this month that limits states' rights to restrict radioactive waste going to their disposal facilities.
The story you just read is only possible because readers like you support our mission to uncover truths that matter. If you value this reporting, help us continue producing high-impact investigations that drive real-world change. Your donation today ensures we can keep asking tough questions and bringing critical issues to light. Join us — because fearless, independent journalism depends on you!
If you cover criminal justice in the Pacific Northwest — or want to — we’re hosting a free virtual training that may be useful to you and your newsroom
