The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is expected to issue a final ruling this month on a Utah tribe's controversial plan to store up to 44,000 tons of nuclear waste on its reservation.

Leon Bear, the chairman of the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe, signed an agreement with Private Fuel Storage, a consortium of eight utility companies, to host the repository. The facility needs a federal license.

Some members of the tiny and impoverished tribe oppose the plan. They question Bear's leadership, noting he has been indicted for stealing from the tribe and for tax evasion.

The state of Utah also opposes the site but has so far not been able to stop it.

Get the Story:
Nuke Waste Project Divides Native Tribe (Inter Press Service 2/10)

Relevant Links:
Skull Valley Goshute Tribe - http://www.skullvalleygoshutes.org
Private Fuel Storage - http://www.privatefuelstorage.com

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