Environment
Utah to lobby BIA on Goshute nuclear waste facility


Politicians in Utah are planning to lobby the Bureau of Indian Affairs to oppose the nuclear waste facility on the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation.

The BIA has to approve the lease between the Skull Valley Band and Private Fuel Storage, a consortium of private utility companies. The deal would allow the storage of up to 44,000 tons of highly radioactive waste on a small portion of the remote 18,000-acre reservation.

The state has already tried to force the BIA to reveal financial terms of the agreement. But the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals refused the request. The state has gone through other methods, including Congressional riders, in hopes of blocking the project, and spent $1.3 million in a losing effort to defend state laws against the tribe.

Former BIA assistant secretary Neal McCaleb and former Interior deputy secretary J. Steven Griles also tried to lure the tribe away from the deal by offering a land, natural resources and education package that largely depended on the state's approval. The tribe's chairman, Leon Bear, rejected the deal as "disingenuous" and an affront to the federal trust relationship.

Get the Story:
Is used nuclear reactor fuel headed for the reservation? (The Christian Science Monitor 2/23)
Waste fight nets state a hefty bill (The Salt Lake Tribune 2/23)

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

Related Stories:
Goshute nuclear waste dump faces more obstacles (2/15)
License granted to store waste on Goshute reservation (2/14)
Defense bill includes Goshute Band provisions (12/20)
Air Force joins effort to block Goshute waste site (12/08)
Supreme Court won't take Goshute nuclear case (12/6)
Goshute chairman given more time to settle IRS debt (11/30)
Utah senator seeks delay in Goshute nuclear project (11/02)
Editorial: Say no to Goshute nuclear waste dump (09/20)
Editorial: Tribe's nuclear waste site a viable option (09/16)
Utah governor fights tribe's nuclear waste dump (9/13)
License for tribe's nuclear waste dump approved (9/13)
Goshute chairman given three years' probation (06/28)
Goshute chairman to be sentenced for tax fraud (6/27)
Utah senator withdraws rider against Goshute waste (6/24)
Final decision expected on Goshute waste dump (6/22)
Reservation seen as interim nuclear waste site (06/06)
Utah tribe cleared for decision on nuclear waste (05/25)
Native groups oppose Goshute nuclear waste dump (04/19)
Goshute leader pleads guilty to tax fraud charge (04/15)
Homeland Security to review Goshute waste plans (4/13)
Goshute coalition not worried about Yucca Mountain (4/11)
Utah appeals ruling on Goshute nuclear waste dump (4/7)
Bill aimed at stopping Goshute waste dump revived (04/01)
Goshute activist pleads guilty to avoid prison (03/29)
Agency urged to reject tribe's nuclear waste dump (03/18)
Governor lobbies Norton on Goshute waste dump (03/15)
New efforts in fight against nuclear waste dump (03/10)
Editorial: Tribe needs waste dump alternative (03/04)
State gears up for fight against nuclear waste dump (2/28)
Nuclear waste dump on Utah reservation advances (2/25)
Waste dump on reservation could be nation's first (02/16)
Decision expected on tribe's nuclear waste dump (02/11)
Nuclear industry could support tribe's waste site (01/31)
One charge dropped against indicted Goshute leader (01/28)
Embattled Goshute chairman remains in power (12/06)
Skull Valley Goshute Tribe's election called off (11/22)
Supreme Court asked to rule on Goshute waste dump (11/01)
Nuclear waste on reservation may be permanent (10/15)
Rally opposes nuclear waste dump on reservation (10/11)
Skull Valley Goshute meeting ends with arrests (08/27)
Goshute waste dump hearings closed to public (08/10)
State can't block tribe's nuclear waste site (8/5)
Griles met with lobbyist for Goshute nuclear site (06/29)
Skull Valley Tribe paying chairman's legal fees (06/09)
Bill seeks compromise over Goshute waste dump (05/20)
Tiny Utah tribe divided over nuclear waste dump (05/12)
Court won't invalidate lease for Goshute nuclear dump (03/08)
Court won't halt Skull Valley nuclear waste dump (2/25)
Goshute members want NRC to review leader's actions (02/10)
Utah spent $3.8M fighting Goshute waste dump (01/29)
Goshute Tribe seeks to bar IRS enforcement (01/23)
Goshute chairman enters plea in fraud, theft case (01/21)
Goshute faction pleads innocent to bank fraud (01/12)
Goshute chairman calls theft charges 'utterly false' (1/8)
Utah tribal chairman indicted for theft, fraud (12/19)
Goshute chairman indicted for alleged theft (12/18)
10th Circuit hears arguments in Goshute waste case (08/27)
Opponent to tribe's waste plans headed to D.C. (08/12)
Utah governor presses nuclear waste investigation (07/14)
Goshute members accuse tribe of persecution (07/11)
Panel considers Goshute nuclear waste plan (05/30)
Final ruling on Goshute nuclear could come soon (5/29)
Rulings support Goshute nuclear waste dump (5/28)
Goshute waste site survives earthquake review (5/23)
Goshute meeting said to be 'usual shouting match' (4/30)
Norton asked to pull approval for Goshute waste site (4/25)
Goshute Tribe rejects Griles deal as 'disingenuous' (4/24)
Lobbyist for Goshute waste facility paid well (4/23)
Panel to review revised Goshute waste proposal (04/07)
Scaled back Goshute nuclear plan unveiled (04/01)
Utah tribe's nuclear waste plan dealt big setback (03/11)
Court asked to review Goshute waste proposal (2/13)
Goshute leaders accused of retaliation (01/06)
Dissident Goshute challenge dismissed (10/02)
Rival Goshute lawsuit dismissed (9/13)
Nuke transportation routes worry some (8/26)
Goshute Tribe offers up its 'wasteland' (8/12)
Abraham fighting tribal waste plans (7/16)
Crash threat cited to Goshute facility (4/11)
Goshute rivals seek review of decision (4/2)
Abraham: Yucca Mountain is safe (3/26)
Goshute member cites high-level help (3/15)
FBI subpoenas Goshute leaders (3/14)
Order on Goshute finances halted (3/8)
Tribe ordered to disclose financials (2/26)
State loses tribal lease challenge (7/11)
Tiny tribe worried about nuclear push (5/9)
Tribe files suit to protect nuclear investment (4/20)
Utah bans high-level nuclear waste (03/14)