Huntsman: Nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain up to Nevadans

RENO -- Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman predicted Friday that Yucca Mountain never will become the nation's nuclear repository as long as Nevadans oppose it.

After an appearance at Washoe County Republican headquarters, Huntsman said what happens to Yucca Mountain "depends on what the people of Nevada want." As long as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and other members of the congressional delegation remain opposed to the repository, he said, then it never will open. He later described his relationship with Reid as "professional."

Two hours later during an appearance at the Reno Rodeo, Huntsman said that since 2005 he has been on record as opposed to the Yucca Mountain repository because of his concern about hauling spent nuclear fuel across the country.

"I was on record as saying it is not good for the Western United States because of transportation issues, the possibility of accidents," he said. "I called for a national policy of using casks to store spent fuel (at the sites of nuclear power plants) with the long-term solution of on-site reprocessing."

Hunstman, the former Utah governor and ambassador to China, attracted about 50 people to his Republican appearance. His timing for the rodeo appearance was off because rodeo fans didn't arrive until after he left.

But he and his wife, Mary Kaye, walked through the mud and around horses to greet performing cowboys, watch quick-draw gunfighters and carnival hawkers.

"I think he was OK," said Joe Martin, a retired Reno rodeo executive.

"He seemed personable," added Assemblyman Kelly Kite, R-Minden, who met Huntsman at the GOP headquarters.

Washoe County Republican Chairman Ralph McMullen said that no one is picking a candidate now and that his party wants as many presidential candidates as possible to visit.

At a lunch with Gov. Brian Sandoval, a fellow Republican, Huntsman discussed his moves to revitalize the Utah economy when he was governor. Utah cut income taxes and offered companies incentives, but they had to earn them before receiving funds.

Utah was named by Forbes magazine as "the best place in America to do business," Huntsman said, adding he proved popular with Democrats and other voters as he received nearly 80 percent of the vote in his re-election victory.

As Utah governor, Huntsman opposed the Southern Nevada Water Authority move to pump water from eastern Nevada ranches to Las Vegas.

He said Friday he was concerned the pumping would ruin water basins on the Utah side of the line and harm Utah farmers.

"Some of those farms have been there more than a hundred years, and to pump their water might have ended their lifestyles," he said, adding he thought the final decision the water pumping should depend on what scientists and hydrologists decide.

He noted he is the only presidential candidate from the West and "that matters because we have very unique issues, land use issues, rural education issues, budget problems, water, keeping lands beautiful."
Huntsman fended off questions about his religious views.

He is a Mormon, but noted in a Time magazine interview that he was more "spiritual" than religious.

He declined to answer what he meant by spiritual, joking that "I am not running for guru."

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.