Monday, May 23, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Official warns Nevadans against lowering Yucca guard

Loux believes project is dead, but it will take a couple more years before state's residents can officially celebrate its demise

Bob Loux, director of the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects, talks to a reporter on Feb. 8 after testifying to the Senate Finance Committee in the Legislative Building in Carson City. He's encouraging continued vigilance in the face of a recent poll that found 46 percent of residents supported ending funding for the state's anti-Yucca Mountain efforts. Photo by K.M. Cannon. Gov. Kenny Guinn talks in his office in Carson City on Jan 21. The governor doesn't want to start interviewing potential successors for Attorney General Brian Sandoval just yet. Photo by Cathleen Allison/Associated Press. Lorraine Hunt Lieutenant governor met with residents of Hawthorne Richard Perkins Assembly speaker took part in Armed Forces Day celebration Dina Titus State Senate minority leader delivered commence- ment address in Elko

Bob Loux has had his battles with the Department of Energy over the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

Now the director of the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects is battling a different kind of opponent: the state's own residents.

A recent poll, commissioned by the Review-Journal and reviewjournal.com, found that 46 percent of residents supported ending funding for the state's anti-Yucca Mountain efforts. Forty-four percent wanted to continue the funding.

Those numbers are down considerably from the number of Nevadans, 70 percent, who oppose the project.

"We may be a victim, partially, of our own success or (the Department of Energy's) failures," Loux said. "We've been making a lot of noise about the project being dead."

Nevada's congressional delegation has been on a rampage since the release of e-mail messages from Yucca scientists suggesting there were attempts to falsify data.

Several Nevada officials have declared the project dead, even though Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman recently refused to halt the project.

State lawmakers have also cut $1 million from a $2 million budget request Gov. Kenny Guinn proposed to fund the state's legal challenges to the repository.

Loux said he thinks the project is dead, but that Nevadans won't be able to officially celebrate for about one or two more years.

"You are going to see the end of Yucca Mountain when the nuclear energy leaders come to Congress and pressure them for an alternative to Yucca," Loux said. "I think we are going to start to see that and to see Congress change within the next few years."

Dual purposes

Three elected officials hoping to be the next governor of Nevada each had a different take on where to campaign this past weekend.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, a two-term Republican, drove to tiny Hawthorne to meet with residents about the proposed closing of the Army Ammunition Depot. Her official duty came as head of the state's economic development efforts. Unofficially, it was a chance to court the rurals.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, took part in an Armed Forces Day celebration on the Capitol Mall in Carson City. His official duty was as a legislative leader. Unofficially, it was an homage to veterans who vote.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, drove to Elko to deliver the commencement address at Great Basin College. Her official duty was as a legislative leader serving on the committee which finances higher education. Unofficially, it was a rural tour for votes.

Guinn waiting on AG

Gov. Kenny Guinn said he doesn't want to start interviewing potential attorney general candidates until things in Washington, D.C., settle down enough for Brian Sandoval to officially get his federal court nomination.

"It's not finished yet and he still has a job to do," Guinn said of the process.

The slow-down in the Capitol, as a result of the filibuster fight, has left Sandoval in a holding pattern.

But that isn't keeping those who want the job still.

State Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, is believed to be the favorite for appointment to the position when Sandoval takes the expected federal position. Guinn has said he will not merely appoint a caretaker to the position, but will pick someone ready to run for the seat in 2006 when the term expires.

To that end, Amodei has been making the rounds amid his legislative duties, even making an appearance at the Clark County Lincoln Day dinner several weeks ago.

University Regent Bret Whipple also has applied for the position, and Las Vegas attorney George Chanos has recently expressed interest in the job as well. Chanos is married to Adriana Escobar-Chanos, the state attorney general's office consumer advocate.

Marshal eyes race

Kate Marshal, a former deputy attorney general who also has worked for the Department of Justice on anti-trust cases, is exploring a bid for secretary of state.

The Reno-based attorney has represented a telecommunications company before the state Public Utilities Commission and worked to launch the state attorney general's anti-trust unit under Frankie Sue Del Papa's administration.

"It's not that much of a stretch to go from anti-trust to securities," Marshal, 45, said of the secretary of state's job.

She may be in a primary with state Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, who is considering a bid.

"If I run, I'll run to win," Marshal said.

At least four Republicans also have declared their candidacy for the race: former assemblywoman Merle Berman; former chief deputy secretary of state Dale Erquiaga; Clark County GOP Chairman Brian Scroggins; and Danny Tarkanian, son of Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian.

Contact political reporter Erin Neff at 387-2906 or ENeff@reviewjournal.com.