Yucca issue raised by Sandoval and Guinn but not in Bush speech

RENO - Gov. Kenny Guinn and Attorney General Brian Sandoval took the opportunity to bend President Bush's ear over Yucca Mountain as the three rode from the airport to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on Friday.

Both said the effort was to little avail.

"We agreed to disagree," said Guinn.

Storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain near Las Vegas is one of the issues Democrats hope to use against Bush in this election. He promised in 2000 to base his decision whether to order the high-level nuclear waste sent to Nevada on "sound science."

But he made the decision almost immediately after the recommendation reached his desk two years ago, prompting Democrats to charge he broke the campaign promise that helped him win Nevada during his first campaign.

"He knows we're staunchly opposed to storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain," said Sandoval.

As for the charge Bush's decision was political, not based on sound science, Sandoval said, "the president made his decision on the information that was provided to him.

"Our challenge is to show that information was wrong and I believe we'll prevail in court," he said.

Guinn said Bush wasn't gong to change his position and joined Sandoval in predicting Nevada will win its case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although the topic was debated in the limousine trip, it was absent from Bush's speech, which focused on the war in Iraq and terrorism worldwide and the recovery of the economy.

Guinn said Bush focused on terrorism, national security and the recovering economy because those are what's most important to the nation and Nevadans.

"Yucca Mountain, I don't think it's the biggest issue from the polls I've seen," he said.

And Sandoval said the disagreement over Yucca Mountain doesn't change his support for Bush.

"The president is the best person for the job in terms of the war on terror, the economy and education," he said. "He's the best person to lead us for the next four years."