January 28, 2000

 

Secretary of the Commission
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001
Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.

RE: State of Nevada's Petition for Rulemaking PRM-73-10

To the Secretary to the Commission:

     The Eureka County Yucca Mountain Information Office, on behalf of Eureka County, Nevada, supports granting the Petition of the State of Nevada to initiate a rulemaking as requested in the Petition.

     The County believes that the State of Nevada's petition raises legitimate and substantial issues that, in the public interest, should be fully explored in a notice and comment rulemaking. Furthermore, the County fully supports the need for a comprehensive assessment of the consequences of terrorist attacks that have the capability of sabotage, involving the entire spectrum of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel shipments to a potential repository.

     This was articulated on December 9, 1999, by residents of Eureka County at the Department of Energy's hearings on its Yucca Mountain Draft environmental Impact Statement. Local residents commented and raised questions about the safety of shipments because of possible terrorism and sabotage.

     If the Petition is granted, Eureka County intends to comment extensively on the substantive requirements which should be included in any modification to 10 CFR Part 73, as well as in the comprehensive assessment of the consequences of terrorist activity affecting the shipment of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste.

 

Sincerely,
Leonard J. Fiorenzi
Leonard J. Fiorenzi Program Director

cc: Nevada Nuclear Waste Project Office