The future of high-level nuclear waste disposal, state sovereignty and the tenth amendment: Nevada v. Watkins

Natural Resources Journal

Volumn 36, Issue 1, 1996, Pages 127-144

  Swazo, Sonny ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 21344447715     PISSN: 00280739     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (146)

1. Duke Power Co. v. Carolina Envtl. Study Group, Inc., 438 U.S. 59, 63 (1978); see Act of Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, 60 Stat. 755.
2. H.R. REP. NO. 491, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 28, pt.1, at 26, (1982), reprinted in 1982 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3792.
3. H.R. REP. No. 491, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 28, pt.1, at 28-29, (1982), reprinted in 1982 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3794-3795.
4. Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, Pub. L. No. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2201 (1983) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 10101-10270 (1989)).
5. Jeffrey D. Raeber, Comment, Federal Nuclear Waste Policy as Defined by the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, 34 ST. LOUIS U. L.J. 111,116(1989).
6. Spent fuel is defined as "fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing." 42 US.C. § 10101(23)0989).
7. High-level radioactive waste is "the highly radioactive material resulting from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel" 42 U.S.C. §10101 (12)(A).
8. Texas v. United States Dept. of Energy, 754 F.2d 550, 551 (5th Cir. 1985).
9. 42 U.S.C. § 10131(b)(1)(1989).
10. Pub. L. No. 97-425, § 114(a)(2)(A), 96 Stat. 2201, 2214(1983) (repealed 1987).
11. ROBERT V. PERCIVAL ET AL., ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION: LAW, SCIENCE, AND POLICY 414 (1992).
12. Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, Pub. L. No. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330 (1987) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 10133-10136, 10172, amending 42 U.S.C. §§ 10101-10270 (1989)).
13. The term "site characterization" means (A) siting research activities with respect to a test and evaluation facility at a candidate site; and (B) activities, whether in the laboratory or in the field, undertaken to establish the geologic condition and the ranges of the parameters of a candidate site relevant to the location of a repository, including borings, surface excavations, excavations of exploratory shafts, limited subsurface lateral excavations and borings, and in situ testing needed to evaluate the suitability of a candidate site for the location of a repository, but not including preliminary borings and geophysical testing needed to assess whether site characterization should be undertaken. 42 U.S.C. § 10101 (21)(1989).
14. Nevada v. Watkins, 914 F.2d 1545, 1554 (9th Cir. 1990), cert. denied. 499 U.S. 906 (1991), reh'g denied, 501 U.S. 1225 (1991).
15. Id. at 1556-57.
16. See South Carolina v. Baker, 485 U.S. 505, 512 (1988) ("Garcia holds that the limits [on congressional power] are structural not substantive-for example, that States must find their protection from congressional regulation through the national political process, not through judicially defined spheres of unregulable state activity."); Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Auth., 469 U.S. 528, 552 (1985) ("State sovereign interests, then, are more properly protected by procedural safeguards inherent in the structure of the federal system than by judicially created limitations on federal power.")
17. English v. General Electric Co., 496 U.S. 72, 78 (1990).
18. Atomic Energy Act of 1954, Pub. L. No. 100-703, 68 Stat. 919 (1954) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 2011-2017 (1988)).
19. English, 496 U.S. at 78.
20. Id. (citing Duke Power Co. v. Carolina Envtl. Study Group, Inc., 438 U.S. 59, 63 (1978)).
21. English. 496 U.S. at 78.
22. Id.
23. Id., (citing 42 U.S.C. § 2021(a)(1)(1982 ed.)).
24. English, 496 U.S. 78.
25. Id., (citing 42 U.S.C. § 2021(a)(1)(1982 ed.)).
26. Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5801 (1974).
27. English, 496 U.S. at 78-79.
28. Id. at 2276.
29. Pacific Gas & Elec. Co. v. State Energy Resources Conservation and Dev. Comm'n., 461 U.S. 190, 221 (1983).
30. In 1977, Congress transferred the ERDA's functions to the Department of Energy. 42 U.S.C. § 7151 (a) (Supp. IV 1976). Congress gave the Department of Energy the responsibility for "the establishment of temporary and permanent facilities for the storage, management, and ultimate disposal of nuclear wastes." 42 U.S.C. § 7133(a)(8)(c).
31. English, 496 U.S. 78.
32. Nevada v. Watkins, 914 F.2d 1545, 1549 (9th Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 906 (1991), reh'g denied, 501 U.S. 1225 (1991).
33. Duke Power Co. v. Carolina Envtl. Study Group, Inc., 438 U.S. 59, 63, 438 U.S. at 63 (1978); see Harold P. Green, Nuclear Power: Risk, Liability, and Indemnity, 71 MICH. L. REV. 479 (1973).
34. Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, Pub. L. No. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2201 (1983) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 10241-10270 (1989)); see David H. Topol, Note, Rethinking Who Is left Holding the Nation's Nuclear Garbage Bag: The Legal and Policy Implications of Nevada v. Walkins, 1991 UTAH L. REV. 791 (1991).
35. 42 U.S.C § 10131(b)(1982).
36. Id. § 10132(a).
37. Id. § 10132(b)(1)(a).
38. An environmental assessment is "a detailed assessment of the basis for such recommendation and of the probable impacts of the site characterization activities planned for such site, and a discussion of alternative activities . . . that may be [done] to avoid such impacts." 42 U.S.C. § 10132(b)(1)(d).
39. Id. § 10132(b)(1)(B).
40. Id. § 10133(a).
41. Id. § 10132(b).
42. Id. § 10132(b)(1)(B).
43. James Davenport, The Federal Structure: Can Congress Commander Nevada to Participate in its Federal High Level Waste Disposal Program?, 12 VA. ENVTL. L.J. 539 (1993).
44. 42 U.S.C. § 10132(c) (1982).
45. Id. § 10134(a)(2).
46. Id. § 10136.
47. Id. § 10135.
48. H.R. REP. NO. 491, supra note 3, at 31, reprinted in 1982 U.S.C.CA.N. at 3792.
49. Id.
50. Nevada v. Herrington, 827 F.2d 1394, 1396-1397 (9th Cir. 1987).
51. H.R. REP. NO. 491, supra note 3, at 31, reprinted in 1982 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 3792.
52. 10 C.F.R. § 960.3 (1989).
53. The Secretary nominated sites in Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington. 49 Fed. Reg. 49540-41 (Dec. 20, 1984).
54. The Secretary nominated Richard Dome, Mississippi, Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Deaf Smith County, Texas, Davis Canyon, Utah, and Hanford, Washington. 51 Fed. Reg. 19,783-84 (June 2, 1986).
55. Mark E. Rosen, Note, Nevada v. Watkins:Who Gets the Shaft, 10 VA. ENVTL. L.J. 239, 255-256 (1991).
56. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1550.
57. Id. (citing U.S. CONST. art. I, § 8, cl.17 and the applicable NRC Regulation, 10 C.F.R. § 60.121 (1995)).
58. The Secretary narrowed the list of candidate sites to Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Deaf Smith County, Texas and Hanford, Washington. 51 Fed. Reg. 19,783-84 (June 2, 1986).
59. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. E.P.A., 824 F.2d 1258, 1262 (1st Cir. 1987). 60. Nevada v. Herrington, 827 F.2d 1394, 1397 (9th Cir. 1987).
60. Charles H. Montage, Federal Nuclear Waste Disposal Policy, 27 NAT. RESOURCES J. 309, 398 (1987).
61. See Samuel J. Light, Public Lands, 21 ENVTL. L. 1207, 1209 (1991).
62. Nevada v. Watkins, 943 F.2d 1080, 1083 (9th Cir. 1991).
63. Nevada v. Watkins, 914 F.2d 1545, 1550 (9th Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 906 (1991), reh'g denied, 501 U.S. 1225 (1991).
64. Id.
65. 42 U.S.C. § 10135(b) (1982).
66. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1550-1551.
67. Id. at 1551.
68. Id.
69. NEV. REV. STAT. § 459.910 (1989).
70. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1551.
71. Id.
72. Id.
73. Id.
74. Id.
75. Id.
76. Id.
77. Id.
78. Id.
79. Id. at 1552, 1556.
80. U.S. CONST, art. IV, § 3, cl. 2.
81. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1552-53.
82. Id. at 1552.
83. Id. at 1556.
84. Petitioner's Opening Brief at 43 Garcia v. San Antonio Metro Transit Auth., 469 U.S. 528 (No. 82-1913, 82-1951) (1985) [hereinafter Petitioner's Opening Brief].
85. Id. at 40.
86. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1557.
87. Petitioner's Opening Brief at 39.
88. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1556.
89. Id. at 1556-1557.
90. Id. at 1557 (citing Vander Jagt v. O'Neill, 699 F.2d 1166, 1172 (D.C. Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 823 (1983)) (committee membership is a power allocated to each House of Congress pursuant to U.S. CONST. art. I, § 5, cl. 2).
91. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1557.
92. Id. (citing EEOC v. Vermont, 904 F.2d 794, 802 (2d Cir. 1990)) ("In any event, the absence of a given legislator or legislators, so long as the legislative body's appropriate procedural rules have been followed, does not mean that the national process leading to the enactment of a given piece of legislation was flawed.").
93. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1557.
94. Id.
95. Lyle D. Griffin, Comment, A Glimmer of Hope for State Sovereignty: The Supreme Court Limits Federal Regulation of Radioactive Waste Disposal, 23 CUMB. L. REV. 655, 659 (1992).
96. THE FEDERALIST No. 45, at 313 (James Madison); McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316, 405. (1819).
97. McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) at 405.
98. U.S. CONST. amend. X.
99. U.S. CONST. art. I, § 8, cl. 3.
100. GERALD GUNTHER, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 157 (12th ed. 1991).
101. William A. Hazeltine, NEW YORK v. UNITED STATES: A NEW RESTRICTION ON CONGRESSIONAL POWER VIS-A-VIS THE STATES, 55 OHIO ST. L.J. 237, 242 (1994).
102. U.S. v. Darby, 312 U.S. 100, 124 (1941).
103. 392 U.S. 183 (1968) (Douglas & Stevens, JJ. dissenting).
104. Id. at 201.
105. 426 U.S. 833 (1976).
106. Id. at 855.
107. Id. at 836, citing Darby v. United States, 312 U.S. 100, 115 (1941).
108. U. at 852.
109. See Hodel v. Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Association, 452 U.S. 264 (1981) (Tenth Amendment did not prevent federal statute from regulating the operation of coal mines); E.E.O.C. v. Wyoming, 460 U.S. 226 (1983) (Tenth Amendment did not prevent Age Discrimination in Employment Act from applying to state employees); United Transportation Union v. Long Island Railroad Co., 455 U.S. 678 (1982) (state-owned railroad must comply with Railway Labor Act mediation and cooling off procedures because application of federal law to state-owned business does not impair state ability "to structure integral operations in areas of traditional functions"); F.E.R.C. v. Mississippi, 456 U.S. 742 (1982) (Tenth Amendment did not prevent the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act from requiring state utilities commissions to consider certain standards and approaches in setting policies and requiring state commissions to enforce federal standards), reh'g denied, 458 U.S. 1131 (1982).
110. 469 U.S. 528 (1985).
111. Id. at 545.
112. Id. at 552.
113. Herbert Wechsler, The Political Safeguards of Federalism: The Role of States in the Composition and Selection of the National Government, 54 COLUM. L. REV. 543, 559, (1954).
114. Id.
115. Herbert Wechsler, Toward Neutral Principles of Constitutional Law, 73 HARV. L. REV. 1, 23-24 (1959).
116. Wechsler, supra note 115, at 547-548.
117. Id.
118. Id.
119. Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528, 550-51 (1985).
120. Id. at 551.
121. Id. at 552.
122. Id. at 556.
123. Id. at 552.
124. Id. at 567.
125. Id.
126. Id. at 560.
127. Id. at 568.
128. Id.
129. Id. at 561.
130. Id. at 581.
131. Id. at 570.
132. Id. at 575.
133. RAOUL BERGER, FEDERALISM: THE FOUNDER'S DESIGN 79 (1987).
134. Id.
135. Id. at 80.
136. Id.
137. Topol, supra note 35, at 797.
138. Id.
139. Id.
140. Id. at 798.
141. Texas congressional members totaled twenty-nine, and included House Speaker Jim Wright and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Lloyd Bentsen. United States Vice-President George Bush was also from Texas. Washington congressional members totaled ten, and included Majority Leader Thomas Foley. Topol, supra note 35, at 800-801.
142. Watkins, 914 F.2d at 1557.
143. Petitioner's Opening Brief at 42-43.
144. Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528, 572 (1985).
145. 485 U.S. 505, 512 (1988).
146. Garcia v. San Antonio Metro. Transit Auth., 469 U.S. 528, 581 (1985).