Re: Yucca Mountain Rail Route


Message posted by Joerg (Webmaster) on December 06, 2008 at 10:17:51 PST:

I completely agree with Andre about the safety of modern nuclear reactors. I strongly support R&D in alternative energies, but currently there is no viable alternative.

My greatest problem with storing the spent fuel in Yucca Mountain is the moral issue of leaving a mountain full of highly contaminated material for future generations to deal with. But of course that would be true no matter where it is stored. And, although it bothers me, that is not the point I want to make.

The really critical part is moving the nuclear waste. It does not even take a terrorist attack. They started moving that stuff on trains in Germany when I grew up there. Opponents would regularly chain themselves to the tracks, to stop the trains. Or even damage the tracks to de-rail the trains. I understand this still happens today. My point is that the transports would require extreme security measures, lots of lights along the tracks, security escorts in vehicles etc.

The railroad would lead along the mountains within Sand Spring Valley, about 10-15 miles north of Rachel. Similar to the prison, it would cause light pollution, attract undesirable elements to the area and it would certainly change the area that we all like as it is now. Not to mention the safety issue. Most people live in Rachel because they want to be left alone, and because they love the area as it is today. The railroad will change all that, and quite likely drive many of the residents away.

Property values in Rachel have already dropped due to the planned prison. If the railroad is being built, I would expect this trend to continue. Therefore, as a land owner in Rachel who likes the town just the way it is (well, for the most part :-)), I strongly oppose the current route. There are alternatives that, although they may be slightly more expensive, would have much less impact on the people in the area.


In Reply to: Re: Yucca Mountain Rail Route posted by Robert on December 06, 2008 at 8:51:31 PST:

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