November 2, 1999: Big Victory at Ward Valley

Native Nations and Environmental Allies Celebrate Federal Action but Denounce Governor Davis for Appointing Pro-nuclear committee to "study" issue.

Join November 17th Protest in Los Angeles!

For more information, contact:

Bradley Angel Greenaction

(415) 248-5010

U.S. Bureau of Land Management Rejects State of California's Request to Purchase Federal Land at Ward Valley for Nuclear Waste Dump!

In a tremendous victory for the Native Nations and environmental and social justice allies who have fought for over a decade to protect Ward Valley and the Colorado River from a proposed nuclear waste dump, the BLM today issued a formal decision which deals a possibly fatal blow to the controversial dump project. The BLM today terminated all their actions regarding the dump proposal, and denied the State of California's request for sale of Ward Valley land for the dump.

Today's action by BLM follows the September 16, 1999 letter sent by BLM Deputy Director Tom Fry to Diana Bonta, State Department of Health Services Director, stating that BLM proposed to terminate all actions on DHS' sale request in 30 days unless the state moved forward with the project. The State did not respond to the BLM's 30 day notice, and the BLM action today is their response to the State's inaction.

However, Governor Gray Davis has appointed a committee stacked with individuals tied to the nuclear industry and nuclear waste generators, with only token representation from dump opponents. This is ominous, as this committee could urge the Governor to submit a new application to the federal government for a dump at Ward Valley.

This committee will meet November 17, 1999 at the Anderson Graduate School of Management Auditorium at UCLA. The Colorado River Native Nations Alliance and the rest of the Ward Valley Coalition are calling on all supporters of Ward Valley to come to UCLA at 9 a.m. on November 17th to protest this stacked committee and call on Governor Davis to join the federal government in saving Ward Valley once and for all. Together we will let the Governor and the nuclear industry know we will never, ever allow any type of radioactive waste facility to be built on sacred Indian Land at Ward Valley.