Although the state Radiation Control Board hasn't issued an official position statement regarding EnergySolutions' proposal to accept foreign waste, the majority of the board is opposed to it, according to Chairman Kent Bradford.

"We really haven't voted on it, but there were certainly a number of board members who voiced opposition to it," he said.

EnergySolutions wants to import 20,000 tons of waste from Italy to the United States, which would result in the final disposal of 1,600 tons of low-level radioactive waste at the Clive facility in Tooele County's west desert.

At last Friday's Radiation Control Board meeting, a draft position statement was read to the members expressing opposition to the importation of foreign nuclear waste into Utah. The board ultimately decided to refine the statement and have a revised version ready for next month's meeting.

"There was enough interest in the statement that the board decided to work on it during February, so when we get back together in March we would have a polished draft that hopefully the board members will have had time to review so we can agree on something we would like to send out as a position statement," said Bradford.

The statement will be sent out to lawmakers, including the governor and possibly legislative representatives from Utah and Congress.

The 30-day public comment period on EnergySolutions license application will open up soon, Bradford said, so the board wanted to be able to submit its position as comment to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Also on Friday, Bart Gordon, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, expressed his disapproval of EnergySolutions plan to import radioactive waste from overseas in a letter to the Northwest Interstate Compact — the agency that manages low-level radioactive waste in the Western states.

"If granted, this import license would represent an unprecedented reversal in this nation's approach to the disposal of its own LLRW [low level radioactive waste]," said Gordon. "It would say to the world that the United States is open for business and will take the world's low-level radioactive waste until our facilities are filled, regardless of the needs of our own country."

Sarah Miley: swest@tooeletranscript.com