>> Gene: THIS WEEK, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE A  GREEN LIGHT TO HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, WHICH PLANS  TO BRING COMMERICIAL NUCLEAR WASTE TO NEW MEXICO.

NOW, THE COMPANY AND THE FEDS SAY THE WASTE WILL ONLY  BE HERE TEMPORARILY.

IT’S A FORTY-YEAR LICENSE.

BUT SINCE THE U.S. DOESN’T HAVE A PERMANENT WASTE SITE,  THERE’S NO PLACE ELSE FOR THAT WASTE TO GO.

AND NO OTHER STATES WANT IT.

THERE WAS OTHER NEWS, TOO,  YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD ABOUT.

OUR LAND’S SENIOR PRODUCER LAURA PASKUS HAS THIS.

>> Laura: ON MONDAY, THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY  COMMISSION LAUNCHED A SPECIAL INSPECTION AT A  URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANT IN EUNICE, NEW MEXICO.

THE FEDERAL BODY CALLED SAFETY ISSUES THERE  CONCERNING AND THEY'VE ALREADY FINED THE COMPANY  $70,000.

THAT COMPANY, LOUISIANA ENERGY SERVICES, BROKE  GROUND ON THE PLANT IN 2006.

THEY CAME TO NEW MEXICO AT  THE INVITATION OF FORMER SENATOR PETE DOMENICI AFTER  TENNESSEE AND LOUISIANA HAD OPPOSED THE PLANT.

OTHER COMMUNITIES REJECTED THE PLANT BECAUSE THEY  DIDN'T WANT THE RADIOACTIVE WASTE.

TUESDAY, THE NRC MADE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT, ONE  I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT.

THE NRC ISSUED A LICENSE FOR ANOTHER PRIVATE COMPANY,  HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, TO BUILD A NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP.

THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT, OF COURSE, FROM THE WASTE  ISOLATION PILOT PLANT, WHICH ALREADY STORES AMERICA'S  NUCLEAR WEAPONS WASTE NEAR CARLSBAD.

HOLTEC HAS CONTRACTS TO DECOMMISSION NUCLEAR POWER  PLANTS IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND  MASSACHUSETTS.

THE COMPANY, THE UTILITIES  THAT OPERATED THOSE PLANTS, THE COMMUNITIES THAT RAN  THEIR HOMES AND THEIR ECONOMIES WITH NUCLEAR  POWER, THEY ALL NEED SOME PLACE TO PUT THAT  RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND SO DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE WIPP CAME TO NEW MEXICO,  EVEN SINCE LOUISIANA ENERGY SERVICES LOCATED HERE.

TODAY ALL OF THE STATE'S TOP ELECTED OFFICIALS, STATE AND  FEDERAL, OPPOSE HOLTEC'S PLANS.

STATE LAWMAKERS EVEN PASSED A BILL THIS YEAR.

NOW, THAT BILL DOESN'T STOP OR OVERRULE THE FEDERAL  LICENSING PROCESS.

WHAT IT DOES IS PROHIBIT NEW  MEXICO FROM ISSUING STATE PERMITS THAT THE FOR-PROFIT  COMPANY WILL NEED FOR THINGS LIKE HAZARDOUS WASTE STORAGE  AND CULTURAL RESOURCES CLEARANCE.

THERE WILL BE WATER PERMITS AND SANITARY WASTE PERMITS.

AND SINCE THE COMPANY HAS SAID IT WILL BRING WASTE  HERE BY RAIL, HOLTEC WILL ALSO NEED PERMITS FROM THE  STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,  THERE'S NO PRECEDENCE FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF HOLTEC  SUES, AND THERE AREN'T OTHER STATE LAWS LIKE THIS ONE.

SO IF, OR WHEN, THE COMPANY SUES OVER THESE DENIED  PERMITS, IT WILL BE A FEDERAL JUDGE WHO DECIDES  WHETHER NEW MEXICO'S LAW HOLDS UP.

SO I HEAR FROM OUR AUDIENCE ALL THE TIME.

SOME OF YOU THOUGHT SENATE BILL 53 WOULD END HOLTEC'S  PLANS FOR NEW MEXICO.

OTHERS NOW WORRY THAT THE  NRC'S DECISION MEANS MORE NUCLEAR WASTE IS DEFINITELY  HEADED TO NEW MEXICO.

BUT THE REALITY IS MUCH MORE  COMPLICATED, THOUGH A FEW THINGS ARE VERY CLEAR.

THE UNITED STATES HAS A CRISIS ON ITS HANDS.

THERE ARE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF TONS OF WASTE  FROM COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS THAT WILL END  UP SOMEPLACE.

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, NEW  MEXICANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND NOT JUST THE TECHNICAL AND  LEGAL COMPLEXITIES, BUT THE HISTORICAL ONES.

AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT EACH DECISION HAS  CONSEQUENCES AND THERE IS NO EASY PATH FORWARD.