Does the federal government have too much power in regulating where it dumps radioactive waste?

Question

"Washington voters don't have the authority to stop the dumping of radioactive waste in the state, according to a ruling Wednesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2004, nearly 70 percent of voters approved Initiative 297, which banned the import and disposal of hazardous waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation until the massive, polluted site was cleaned up. "

Basically this rules allows radioactive material to be dump in any state even against the overwhelming majority of the voters.

IMO the federal government has gone beyond it bonds and is seriously infringing on state rights. Would an issue like this other other issues (i.e. war, abortion, eminent domain, etc) compel you to want your state to succeed from the federal government?

Answer 1

Well, I think the federal government has too much power in general, but I'm not convinced the states know any better.  A lot of the problems with eminent domain come from the states, not the federal government. The Hanford site should be cleaned up, for sure. But  I think it's silly to talk about secession, it's not going to happen.  Of course here in California we have a good choice for emperor...

Answer 2

In this case I would agree with the federal government, though I do feel it has to much power the majority of the time.  Jim Z. is correct if left up to the states they would all want the energy however none would want the waste.

Answer 3

No kidding!

But then we seldom if ever disagree LoT

Answer 4

NIMBY's have too much power. Nuclear is the way to go.

Answer 5

If you were to allow individual states to decide, there would be no nuclear dumps.  It is not as if they brings trucks there and dump it.  It is treated with the utmost care and monitored carefully.  I am not a fan of federal thuggery but disagree with you in this case.  Nuclear waste cannot be stored everywhere.  It needs large centralized places that are secure with minimal threats of spreading.  The federal government should find the best locations to safely store the radioactive wastes.  There are problems with every source of energy.  Energy is as vast as the universe, but the left seems to think it sinful to use.  Nuclear energy is one of the safest and most reliable energy sources.  It was the left that prevented us from gaining more energy independence by turning nuclear energy into a pariah.

Answer 6

I agree that the government has way too much power. But nuclear energy will be a bad idea until we can find a way to make it truly safe. If our descendents find the stuff in 10,000 years, and if they have no idea of the technology involved, we will end up destroying our own future. Storing nuclear waste this way is pure idiocy. But then, that's what bureaucrats are all about.

Answer 7

No - Since the waste comes from several states, since the waste crosses state lines, it is well within the function of the federal gvmt to set up and establish the rules of the dump sites.

Federal laws trump state laws every time.

Answer 8

We've developed stupid superstitions based on a few events 30 some years ago.  Dumping or burying nuclear waste is a stupid US Government trick.  Europe and other countries reuse spent fuel rods, no waste!  So if we, and we should, used nuclear energy, the waste really would be minimal to none.  No smoke, no "global warming / climate change  / global cooling"  worries.  But that would also remove excuses to pay "carbon credits" or leave "carbon footprints-- the usual meaningless buzzwords.  And people wouldn't be able to make tons of cash s******g over the general public for buying into the nonsense.

Answer 9

This does seem a bit disturbing.  Of course, no state is going to want to accept this stuff, and everyone has a NIMBY attitude, so some federal intervention is necessary.  Since it's a commerce issue, it's legally under federal jurisdiction.

Answer 10

Actually thye don't have enough power.  If they did they would be dumping reactor waste at the Yucca site, which was designed to contain it safely.