La Grande editorial on Solid Waste EIS

NOW'S TIME TO STAND UP AND BE HEARD

Published: July 22, 2002

Being a good citizen is all about being informed on the issues. About getting as much information as possible before making a decision. About not jumping to conclusions or leaping to assumptions. About constantly re-examining assumptions. About giving all sides of an issue a fair hearing before making up one's mind.

Area residents have a chance to do just that Tuesday night from 7 to 9 when a public hearing takes place at the Best Western Inn. The hearing will allow residents living along the Interstate 84 corridor to testify on a U.S. Department of Energy plan to ship between 70,000 and 90,000 truckloads of radioactive and lower level waste to Hanford. Citizens can also comment in writing. Comments may be sent to Michael Collins at the Richland Operations Office, P.O. Box 550, Richland, WA 99352.

The nuclear reservation, across the Columbia River from Umatilla, is being considered as a final resting place for several levels of nuclear waste from across the United States.

This is no time for a complacent mindset. Consider the consequences of this plan. Get a feel for the worse-case scenario. This is not about bellyaching but about a constructive dialogue, letting our voices be heard now and not later when the plan is a reality.

We need assurances, not scientific contortions, from the Department of Energy that a complete Environmental Impact Statement has been done and that all the facts are on the table, not just the impact here but at Hanford and the nearby Columbia.

Good citizenship means taking personal responsibility. Tuesday offers just that chance.