Peace Treaty of 1866 Could Stop Yucca Mountain Project

[NVMojo]

Remember, Treaties are between nations.


March 4, 2005
There's a new legal challenge Friday against Yucca Mountain. The Western Shoshone Nation is suing the Department of Energy in federal court, claiming the proposed nuclear dump violates a land use treaty dating back to the 1800s.

The chief of the Western Shoshone Nation has had just about enough. "We had hoped to, instead of doing this, enter into negotiations with the United States government." Raymond Yowell asked, begged, pleaded to discuss Yucca Mountain with the Department of Energy and has been turned down every time.

"There's been nothing from the government." Shoshone council member John Wells says the tribe has history on its side. His ancestors lived on Yucca Mountain. It was their home, their land. The federal government acknowledged that 139 years ago.

In 1866, Congress ratified a peace treaty with the Western Shoshone and under that treaty the federal government could use Shoshone land for agriculture, ranching, the construction of roads and railroads. The treaty said nothing about the storage of radioactive waste.

"I'm confident that a federal judge will look at this and say a deal is a deal." Attorney Robert Hager represents the Western Shoshone, and says the passage of time doesn't change the intent of the agreement -- that the Shoshone would keep Yucca Mountain, that the federal government could use it with conditions.

more...

http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3032910&nav=168XX7b6