Senate leadership has asked state Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, to apologize for making disparaging comments about waste opponents.
The apology stems from what happened at a March 5 gathering of Envirocare employees and supporters, where Bramble made the comment that the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah was an acronym for "Help Educate Anal Liberals."
Environmental activists say an apology isn't enough to maintain the integrity of the Hazardous Waste Regulation and Tax Policy Task Force, a committee Bramble co-chairs. HEAL had formally requested that Senate President Al Mansell ask for Bramble's resignation.
"We're disappointed. I think it doesn't go far enough to address the serious breach of ethical behavior," said Jason Groenewold, director of HEAL. "It's almost like they are condoning Bramble's behavior."
In a letter from Mansell to Groenewold obtained by the Deseret Morning News, Mansell said Bramble has willingly agreed to send a written apology to members of HEAL and the Utah Senate.
Bramble also agreed to recommit to maintaining fair, impartial committee processes and to refrain from making editorial comments while acting as task force chair.
"There will be a letter that will basically say, 'I apologize,' " Bramble said Wednesday. "The comment, it was not meant to offend anyone."
In the letter, Mansell said Bramble's offending remarks did not indicate a specific position on nuclear waste issues. Mansell said the comment just "poked fun" at three groups: the Legislature, Envirocare and HEAL.
"Sen. Bramble's alleged bias may be more perception than reality," Mansell wrote. "That said, I am still concerned that public perception of Sen. Bramble's attendance and comments may hurt the credibility of the task force and, in some ways, the Senate as a body."
Groenewold thinks the situation is more serious. "I think the task force has an uphill battle to gain public confidence as long as Sen. Bramble is co-chairing its meetings," he said.
The Hazardous Waste Regulation and Tax Policy Task Force considers all waste issues in the state, including the taxation of companies that accept waste. Among the most contentious issues is whether Envirocare should be allowed to accept hotter radioactive wastes than their current state and federal licenses allow.
The task force has been charged to make recommendations to the 2005 Legislature.
"If these are the standards by which Senate leadership are expecting nuclear waste policy to be established," Groenewold said, "then I have serious concerns about what the eventual outcome of that recommendation may be."
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com