Majority of candidates seeking election within the county defy Utah leaders, support allowing waste in

The question of whether or not EnergySolutions should be allowed to accept foreign nuclear waste has been one of the hottest issues on the campaign trail in Utah this election. Every candidate running for Congress has taken a stance, and the issue again took center stage at a debate between Gov. Jon Huntsman and his Democratic challenger Bob Springmeyer earlier this week.

Both Springmeyer and Huntsman have gone on record as opposing importing foreign nuclear waste. Of the six major candidates vying for three U.S. congressional seats, only one, Rob Bishop, is in favor of importing waste.

In the meantime, news has emerged that EnergySolutions has already been bringing foreign nuclear waste to its Clive disposal facility for eight years now. Waste from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Mexico has entered the nation with the approval of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, been processed at the company’s facility in Tennessee, and then been shipped to Clive.

State regulators and county officials say they were not aware of the storage of foreign waste in the county until recently.

In contrast to most of Utah’s state and national representatives, Tooele County’s elected leaders have tended to support the importation of foreign waste. That’s also the stance of most of the candidates running for office in the county this election.

Incumbent District 21 state Rep. Jim Gowans, D-Tooele, and his Republican opponent Dan Egelund both have no objections to importing waste.

“What they did may have been a break of faith, but I believe it was within the scope of their license to do,” said Gowans. “I have no problem with them accepting foreign waste as long as it is in compliance with their agreement and the disposal meets the regulations that have already been set forth.”

Egelund feels the issue of accepting foreign waste needs to be addressed by federal regulators.

“The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has to address the issue of foreign waste. EnergySolutions may have violated goodwill, but I don’t believe they violated their permit. The waste they receive here in Tooele is extremely low-level, and I do not have a problem with it.”

In contrast, the Constitution party candidate running in the race with Gowans and Egelund is opposed to foreign waste.

“I am opposed to waste from outside our country being imported for disposal,” said Jonathan Garrard.

State Rep. Ronda Rudd Menlove represents District 1, which includes Clive.

“I have been out there to the Clive facility and have seen how the waste is processed,” she said. “The waste they receive is the lowest level radioactive waste. You can get more exposure to radiation at your doctor’s office. No, I do not oppose importing waste as long as it continues to be low-level and it is handled appropriately.”

Ken Peay, a Democratic candidate for the District 13 seat covering Vernon and Ophir feels differently.

“I do not think EnergySolutions should be allowed to bring foreign waste into our country,” said Peay, who is running against Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain.

Toby Dillon, who is running for state Senate in District 24, said his position would mirror whatever the electorate wants.

“I feel extremely cheated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, that they would allow this without letting anybody in Utah or Tooele County know about it,” Dillon said. “But I would not be opposed to importing waste if the people of Tooele County, or wherever the stuff is going to end up, have a chance to approve the storage of the waste.”

Dillon’s opponent, Ralph Okerlund, is also not opposed to importing nuclear waste.

“I support private business and EnergySolutions is certainly an important part of Tooele County’s economy,” he said. “They have the expertise and experience at handling this kind of waste. If they can work out their issues with the regulatory agencies, I have no problem with them receiving foreign waste.”

Colleen Johnson, seeking re-election to the Tooele County Commission, has also gone on record in favor of importing waste.

“As I understand it, Energy Solutions would only be accepting what was left after the reprocessing has taken place,” she said last week in a prepared statement. “The foreign waste will be reprocessed in Tennessee and the ash from that process sent to the facility in Clive. This ash product isn’t any different from what is already stored there. If I thought for one second that this facility was endangering our citizens I would oppose it. I also feel the decision of foreign waste being brought to the United States lies in the hands of the Federal Government.”

Tim Gillie: tgillie@tooeletranscript.com