Dear Editor:
I am writing in opposition to the proposed legislation the minerals committee is considering regarding temporary spent nuclear fuel rod storage. This a bad idea on so many levels.
Wyomingites have consistently opposed such ideas because while there might be as much as a billion dollars or more to be made, we have much more to lose. We should consider the fact that Wyoming is not at the table in these discussions as a plus.
Wyoming ought to be banking on the assets it has, like wide open spaces and free roaming wildlife. We could be growing hemp and marijuana. We could be raising bison as an alternative livestock on public lands. We could even be welcoming properly sited renewable energy. There’s a whole lot of ideas we should consider before we open our borders for the transportation of hazardous waste across our state.
That the state is grappling with a transitioning economy is obvious. This summer’s bankruptcies, and the news of coal plant closures has reminded all of us how dependent we are on extraction for jobs and taxes. The Wyoming legislature, especially the committee charged with economic development, ought to be exploring ways to diversify our economy. But ideas like nuclear storage don’t deserve the time and energy of the committee, or the $20,000 to further study the issue. The committee could use better ideas.
The committee is meeting at Casper College November 4 and 5. I urge citizens to attend in person or contact the committee. I have already expressed my concerns to my representative and committee member, Tom Crank, but will do so again.
Thank you.
Michele Irwin
Green River
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