Say no to waste profit sharing

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The idea of all that smoldering, stinking radioactive waste in Utah smells a bit sweeter to some Utah state legislators since EnergySolutions Inc. floated -- literally -- the idea of sharing billions of dollars in profits over 10 years if it can store foreign waste here.

"... There's going to be an opportunity for Utah to be a partner. ...," Utah House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, eagerly told the media.

Yeah, just think. If the Utah Legislature has $1 billion-plus to spend, we're sure the Republican leadership's first priority will be to restore planned cuts in health care, human services and public education.

What a Faustian bargain -- more radioactive waste for better dental care for poor Utah kids!

But seriously, EnergySolutions' deal should be nixed very quickly. Legislators, remember this old mantra: "If it sounds too good to be true, it is!" Even if EnergySolutions somehow manages to win its persistent legal effort to import foreign radioactive waste here, we will have lost nothing by saying no to being a radioactive waste partner.

Can you imagine the public relations fiasco? "Utah, a pretty, radioactive state." That's not a pitch our tourism industry -- or tourists, for that matter -- will feel very comfortable with.

Gov. Jon Huntsman is correct when he says that the recession will one day end, but the legacy of being a dumping ground for foreign radioactive waste will be with Utah forever if we enter this deal with EnergySolutions. We urge the governor to stand firm and do all he can to block the foreign waste from coming here.

It's true that EnergySolutions already handles similar waste from states in the U.S. But it would be a bad idea -- and precedent -- for Utah to become the first state to try to profit from radioactive waste from as far away as Italy.

EnergySolutions can peddle all the influence it wants with Utah legislators. The law allows it to spread the wealth, although we hope ethics reform will one day limit such influence-peddling. EnergySolutions will also try whatever it legally can do to get the foreign radioactive waste stored in Utah.

Whether or not the company succeeds, Utah must keep its hands clean in this affair. And that means -- we repeat -- no radioactive deals with EnergySolutions.