Salt Lake County leaders want to keep trains carrying nuclear waste from ever crossing the county line.
The County Council is expected to debate a resolution Tuesday opposing the proposed transportation of spent nuclear waste on local roads or rails to a proposed disposal site about 50 miles away in Tooele County.
"A freight train full of spent nuclear fuel is about to come into our jurisdiction," Councilman Randy Horiuchi said. "We're just trying to figure out ways to slow it down."
Private Fuel Storage officials plan on dumping some 44,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel rods on land owned by the Skull Valley Band of the Goshute Indians in Tooele County.
The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce is urging government and business leaders to inform the Bureau of Land Management that they want the bureau to deny an application from PFS for a right-of-way permit on public land that would be necessary to bring the nuclear waste onto the reservation site.
Chamber officials believe the PFS plan would "hurt the economy," as the waste likely would travel through the heart of the state's transportation system.
The BLM is accepting comments through May 8.
"This is our chance to be heard," said Natalie Gochnour, chamber spokeswoman.
The public comment a good idea, but everyone, including those who support the plan, should be heard before a decision is made, said Sue Martin, a public affairs consultant for PFS.
Martin was surprised that the Salt Lake County Council is considering a resolution opposing the PFS plan.
"One would think that before a county would develop a position, they would want to look at all sides of the issue," Martin said. "We were not invited by any of the counties to comment prior to their taking a position."
PFS officials are upset the Salt Lake Chamber is leading the fight against their company, considering PFS has been a member of the business group for seven years, Martin said.
The chamber had to take a stand because of the potential economic impacts of bringing spent nuclear waste through the valley, Gochnour said.
"This is something on which there is a broad consensus that the business community needed to step up," Gochnour said. "We're willing do that because of its impact on our economy. We've stepped up for business reasons."
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said he is opposed to the PFS plan.
"It should stay where it is," Corroon said. "It's safer and simpler to keep it where it is."
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com