A proposal to store up to 44,000 tons of nuclear waste on the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation in Utah came one step closer to reality with the issuance of a license for the facility on Monday.

But Utah's Congressional delegation is seeking to put another roadblock in front of the tiny tribe and Private Fuel Storage, its nuclear waste partner. The lawmakers are sponsoring a bill that would designate a wilderness area adjacent to the reservation.

The wilderness area would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the tribe to build a rail line to transport waste to the reservation. "We're just a small Indian tribe that makes Utah cringe," Chairman Leon Bear told the Associated Press.

Some members of the tribe oppose Bear and the nuclear waste dump. They have been trying to vote him out of office. He recently pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return.

Get the Story:
Utah Delegation Backing Wilderness Law (AP 2/15)
Lawmaker Pulls Goshute Resolution (The Salt Lake Tribune 2/15)

Relevant Links:
Skull Valley Goshute Tribe - http://www.skullvalleygoshutes.org
Private Fuel Storage - http://www.privatefuelstorage.com

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