Lobbying tally climbs in nuclear waste debate
The extra attention — and money — paid by both sides of the nuclear waste debate show how serious each is about its objective and how tense the legislative negotiations were at the end of last year.
"Keeping high-level nuclear waste out of Utah is a high priority for Gov. Huntsman, and we feel it is important to take any and all steps necessary to do it," said Mike Mower, spokesman for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
The state had a $45,000 contract with Dukto Worldwide lobbyist William Simmons, a former aide to former Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah. Simmons' 2005 lobbying disclosure report said he was hired to "assist/advise client on issues related to high level nuclear waste." Mower said it was awarded through a competitive bidding process.
Simmons helped coordinate efforts to push a major roadblock for Private Fuel Storage through Congress last year. Huntsman renewed it through 2006 for another $45,000, Mower said. It has not been decided if the contract will be renewed for 2007, Mower said.
Meanwhile, Private Fuel Storage has paid more than $1 million since 1998 for its own lobbyist in Washington, according to lobbying records and the Center for Public Integrity. This includes a $40,000 contract for 2005 with MGN Inc. The 2005 lobbying disclosure forms specifies that its work revolved around the Defense Authorization bill. Steve Barringer and Nils Johnson from MGN Inc. moved to another firm, Holland & Hart, in April. Neither Barringer nor Johnson could be reached for comment as to what they are working on for PFS this year, if anything.
PFS wants to store nuclear waste on the Goshute Indian Reservation in Tooele County until the government opens the planned federal storage site at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The state strongly opposes the idea but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a license earlier this year to PFS. The consortium is now looking for customers to invest in constructing the storage site and to move waste there, but has also asked the Energy Department to pay for waste storage there.
Mower said the "extra set of hands" worked with the congressional delegation to watch various pieces of legislation and represent the governor on the issue.
"It was so pressing at the time, it was an 'all hands on deck' situation," Mower said.
After the state lost its effort to block the commission from giving PFS its license, it filed a case appealing the license in federal court but legislative options also remained.
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