Governor Mike Leavitt: Updates

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This is the April 12 - 25, 1997 update.

April 25, 1997
Contact Vicki Varela, 538-1503
or Paula Ernstrom, 538-1509

Listed below are the highlights of Governor Mike Leavitt's activities over the past two weeks. Please call if you have any questions.

Announced his opposition to a proposal to bring high level nuclear waste to Utah and his strategy to prevent it. The governor issued the following statement during his monthly call in program, Conversations with the Governor on KBYU:

"Tonight I begin by discussing an issue of great importance to the health, safety and quality of life of our citizens. Our state faces the threat of becoming the nation's dumping ground for high level nuclear waste, and I want to stop it from happening. Utahns don't generate nuclear power. We don't consume nuclear power. Yet, incredibly, our state is being seriously considered as a storage site for more than 200,000 rods of spent nuclear waste. Nearly a dozen major utilities -- most of them on the east coast -- need a place to dump high level nuclear waste, which is a byproduct of the power they generate. Their ratepayers don't like storing something so dangerous in their back yards, so the companies are willing to pay a very high price to move it to someone else's back yard -- ours. Some of Utah's Goshute Indians propose building concrete containers and storing nuclear waste from all over the country in the Utah desert, 40 miles west of the Wasatch Front. We're not talking about a little bit of nuclear waste; it's a lot. In fact, this would be a nuclear dumping ground ten times the size of any facility of this type anywhere in the entire United States. Goshutes don't all agree, but those who want to bring nuclear waste to Utah think it will generate jobs and money. I respect their desire to improve their quality of life, but I respectfully disagree with this way of doing it. Building the biggest nuclear waste graveyard in the country isn't a good quality of life decision for anyone in Utah. Advocates of nuclear waste in Utah argue that our state would only be a temporary storage site; they argue that the risks are minimal; they say they can safely transport it by train and truck to the reservation. They say the cement containers won't break, and that there won't be leaks, so no one's life will be endangered. But these are all hopes, not guarantees. The fact is, when it comes to nuclear waste there are no guarantees. The nuclear waste they want to send to Utah doesn't last one year or 20 years, or 100 years; it remains lethally radioactive for 10,000 years. The fact is, if nuclear waste comes to Utah, chances are it won't get moved again. The fact is, train and truck accidents do happen, containers do break, and human lives could well be at risk. This is a legacy of risk we do not want to leave our children and their children. Tonight, I reiterate my strong opposition to Utah becoming the dumping ground for high level nuclear waste. I have stood up to oppose it before, and I do it again tonight. Our strategy for keeping nuclear waste out of the Utah desert is multi-pronged:

By executive order, I will tomorrow form a multi-agency task force that will do everything possible to block storage of high level nuclear waste in Utah. The task force will be led by my director of environmental quality, and will be charged with researching and communicating all risks to all decision makers in this process.

Letters will be sent immediately to the President, the Skull Valley Goshutes, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Congress, the nuclear waste proprietors and others notifying them of the state's opposition, and appealing for other alternatives.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be petitioned for standing to intervene in the regulatory process if and when a license application is officially submitted.

The state will actively oppose the license application and will seek complete and exhaustive reviews, and reconsideration and appeals if necessary.

All possible evaluations of the site will be undertaken, including an Environmental Impact Statement.

The fallacy of the term "temporary facility" will be exposed.

In summary, let me say again that we don't want it here. Those who want to bring nuclear waste here say it's safe. I say, if it's so safe why not just keep it where it is. If it worked for the last 15 years maybe we ought to just leave it where it is.

Rolled up his sleeves and declared, "Let's get to work." This came during ceremonies where Wasatch Constructors was given notice to proceed on the massive I-15 reconstruction project. "For more than 30 years this major interstate has made Utah the crossroads of the West. But like anything else, it wears out," the governor said. "It's time for all the talk to stop and it's time for the work to begin!" Leavitt was joined at the event by acting Federal Highway Administrator Jane Garvey, Utah Department of Transportation Executive Director Tom Warne, legislators, local leaders and representatives of Wasatch Constructors. Garvey praised Utah for being on the forefront of innovation in highway construction and for setting a standard by using the design/build method for this project. Ellis Armstrong, who helped design the original I-15 project and was Utah's first director of highways, was also on hand for the ceremony.

Received a briefing on the risk of spring flooding and the state's preparations for it. Governor Leavitt met with Public Safety Commissioner Craig Dearden, Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management Director Lorayne Frank, Bill Alder of the National Weather Service, and state engineer Bob Morgan. They told the governor that in some areas snow pack is above what it was in 1983, but that the state has put a great deal of resources into preventing the type of damage that flooding caused that year. In preparation for flooding this spring, more than 750,000 sandbags have been distributed statewide and are available through counties. Heavy equipment is being deployed to high-water areas in Northern Utah and the National Guard is prepared for rapid response. According to Alder, the critical time for flooding is between May 10 and June 15, but citizens should start preparing now. "The amount of water that is up there makes it clear we will see flooding in some areas," Leavitt said. "If private citizens have property that they believe is susceptible to flooding, they have two to three weeks to prepare before the crisis comes."

Joined with other trustees of the Western Governors University for a board meeting in Salt Lake City. At the meeting, Guam and Alaska announced that they are joining WGU, increasing its membership to 14 states and one territory. "The vision of the Western Governors University is spreading as states and territories realize the added benefits technology-delivered education has for their citizens," Governor Leavitt, co-chair of the board of trustees, said.

David Gardner, former University of Utah president and former head of the University of California system, also attended the meeting as a new member of the board of trustees representing Utah. Commenting on his appointment, Governor Leavitt said, "David brings outstanding knowledge and wisdom to the board from his years of service in higher education. He is well respected and will be a great asset to the university."

In other major WGU developments announced at the meeting, Sun Microsystems has made a substantial grant to the WGU and, Barbara Gordon, vice president of academic and research computing for Sun Microsystems, Inc., will join the national advisory board for WGU. Also, four major accrediting commissions that operate in the western regional have agreed to create a joint body called the Inter-Regional Accrediting Committee to act on their behalf in the review and accreditation WGU. "This important action by the accrediting commissions makes WGU the model for developing standards and policies for other distant education efforts across the country," the governor said.

Met with International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Samaranch was in Salt Lake City to review preparations for the 2002 Winter Olympics. He met with Governor Leavitt, Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corradini and Olympic Officials for a lunch meeting to discuss those preparations and plans for I-15 and the Salt Lake International Airport. Samaranch reminded the group that the IOC has put its trust in Salt Lake City and that the committee has great confidence in the ability of organizers. "He did say that he was very pleased with the preparations he has seen and plans to visit one or two more times before 2002," the governor said. Samaranch also told the governor that he has visited nearly 200 countries as the head of the IOC and that the world of sports can create accomplishments in global politics that political leaders can't.

Joined other governors in urging the president and Congress not to cap Medicaid spending. As federal budget negotiations enter their final stages, 41 of the nation's governor joined together to send a letter to the president and Congress. "No single decision made in the context of balancing the budget will be of greater importance to states than the treatment of the Medicaid program," the letter says. In commenting on the situation, Governor Leavitt said, "We want to make sure that the administration and Congress know that the kind of caps they are suggesting could have dire consequences on states' budgets and could ultimately lead to higher state taxes or scaling back optional Medicaid programs." To ensure recipients retain access to high-quality health care, governors believe that overall levels of Medicaid savings should be kept at $8 billion, a figure they believe can be achieved by increasing program flexibility.

Participated in "Take our Daughters to Work Day." Governor Leavitt signed a proclamation declaring April 24 as "Take our Daughters to Work Day" and then brought his own daughter, Anne Marie, to work with him for the day. National "Take our Daughter's to Work Day" is observed the fourth Thursday in April and is designed to make girls aware of career opportunities that are available to them and celebrates women's contribution to the workforce. First Lady Jackie Leavitt and Lt. Governor Olene Walker also participated in the day by speaking to employees and their children at a event to mark the day.

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