Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Environmentalists ask Congress for Yucca probe

WASHINGTON -- Environmental activists on Tuesday called on Congress to convene an independent investigation of possible document falsification at Yucca Mountain, saying the Energy Department has avoided scrutiny on the issue.

E-mails made public in March show that U.S. Geological Survey scientists assigned to the nuclear waste repository project did not follow procedures to verify their work, the groups said.

They questioned an internal probe that DOE is conducting.

They also urged Congress to halt work on Yucca Mountain and require the department to "publicly release all relevant information."

"Asking DOE to conduct a sound, reliable investigation of itself is akin to asking the fox to count the hens to make sure none of them have been eaten," the groups said in a letter sent to Senate and House members.

The letter was signed by leaders of 22 environmental organizations that have been critical of the Yucca Mountain Project, including Nevada-based Citizen Alert and the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force.

Inspectors general for the Energy Department and the Interior Department are investigating the e-mails, but they are concentrating on possible criminal activity and not issues that would affect repository health and safety licensing, the activists said.

A House panel also is looking into the issue. DOE "has repeatedly ignored requests by the subcommittee for relevant documents, meetings with DOE managers and DOE and USGS scientists and responses to written questions," the groups said.

The House subcommittee chairman is Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev. He said he understands activists' frustration, but he believes his investigation will be fruitful.

"We've been at this for five months and with hundreds of hours of investigation," Porter said. "If I believed we need an additional investigation, I would be the first one to call for it."