The Interior Department refused to consult the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes before rejecting the Utah tribe's proposal to build nuclear waste dump.

Spokesperson Shane Wolfe said there was no requirement in federal law to consult the tribe or its partner. But Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne did meet with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) two months before the decision to deny the lease was made [PDF].

The rulings, from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management, cited the department's trust responsibility. But Chairman Leon Bear was surprised that the tribe wasn't contacted.

The tribe and Private Fuel Storage, a group of private utility companies, want to store up to 40,000 tons of nuclear waste on a portion of the reservation. Their lease runs for 20 years with the option of renewal.

Federal law requires the federal government to store nuclear waste but the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada is far behind schedule.

Get the Story:
Hatch jawboned N-dump decision (The Salt Lake Tribune 9/9)
Nuke-dump backers ponder their next move (The Salt Lake Tribune 9/9)
Decision to deny PFS lease shocks 2 (The Deseret Morning News 9/9)
Interior Department Rejects Interim Plan for Nuclear Waste (The New York Times 9/9)
pwnyt

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

Related Stories:
Interior rejects Skull Valley nuclear waste dump (9/8)
Embattled Goshute leader calls himself 'chief for life' (9/1)
Skull Valley Goshute vice chairwoman resigns (08/23)
Small Utah tribe divided over nuclear waste dump (06/26)
Goshute waste site offered to Energy Department (03/20)
Time: Goshute Band to get $100M for nuclear waste (3/9)
State urged to work with Skull Valley Goshute Tribe (3/7)
Goshute nuclear waste facility still controversial (3/2)
Utah to lobby BIA on Goshute nuclear waste facility (2/23)
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)