Gibbons’ stance on Yucca perplexing

WASHINGTON -- Consensus eluded Nevada lawmakers  Wednesday on how or whether to respond to unorthodox Yucca Mountain strategy moves that Gov. Jim Gibbons has taken this month.

For the most part, the state's five members of Congress try to stay on the same page as elected state leaders in Carson City when it comes to the proposed nuclear waste repository.

Following a short delegation meeting, the federal representatives again stressed their opposition to the project. But as to the governor's strategy, they were scattered in their responses.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., said Gibbons should be given the benefit of the doubt after he proposed that the Department of Energy be allowed to extract water at the Yucca site for an additional 30 days even though he concluded DOE had violated of a state order prohibiting the drilling.

The governor has not explained his decision, which seemed at odds with Nevada's customary approach that takes the hardest line possible in efforts to kill the Yucca project.

Gibbons' decision reportedly was made against the advice of state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and of Bob Loux, the director of the Agency for Nuclear Projects.

Sen. Harry Reid and Shelley Berkley, both D-Nev., were critical of the decision at the time, while Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said he didn't understand it.

Reid called it "the biggest gift DOE has received since I have been in Washington."

Former Sen. Richard Bryan on Friday called for a meeting between the governor and the congressional group to air out the matter and reunite state leaders. Otherwise, Bryan said, he feared Nevada's resolve against the repository would be questioned.

It did not appear such a meeting would occur soon, judging from lawmakers' comments on Wednesday.

Talking with reporters as the lawmakers sat in Reid's office, Porter said Gibbons has fought Yucca Mountain "his whole career. He may be privy to information in that particular situation with his legal counsel."

"Time will tell but I think we should give him the benefit," Porter said.

"Well, you give him the benefit," Reid told Porter.

"This was the first negative thing I have ever said about Jim Gibbons," Reid added, referring to his criticism of the governor's water decision.

"I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of, and it set us back a long way," Berkley said. "All I know is that his decision makes it difficult for us to do our jobs" against Yucca.

Ensign said the issue may be "water under the bridge at this point."

He noted that the Energy Department rejected Gibbons' offer in favor of seeking broader water rights, and the matter was headed to the courts.

Ensign said leaders were re-emphasizing their opposition to the repository to send a message the state intends to continue fighting the project.

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., did not take part in the exchange.

Gibbons' spokeswoman could not be reached Wednesday night by phone or e-mail.