Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Sentiment Spent Fuel Polling topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public unease over waste storage, polling and community outreach surfaces in Casper hearings
Summary
Public comment and elected officials' testimony highlighted concerns about long‑term spent fuel storage, the accuracy of local polling, and the need for more public education; Radiant officials said the county‑conducted poll was not Radiant‑sponsored and that Radiant will complete its own poll later in the summer.
Community members and several elected officials used the committee hearing in Casper to press for clearer answers about spent fuel storage, the scope of county surveys and public education campaigns as nuclear projects are considered for Wyoming.
Rosemarie Savon, a Natrona County resident, said county and municipal leaders must not rush into storage decisions and recommended caution and full public review. Carrie Agin, a Buffalo resident and retired geoscientist, told the committee she was "increased" in her concerns after the security and site discussions and urged more community engagement and a slow, transparent review before the state changes statutes that could facilitate storage or limit liability.
Radiant representatives clarified earlier polling reports: Luke Wilson said, "it is not a Radiant‑sponsored poll" and that Radiant plans a separate, company‑sponsored poll toward the end of the summer and additional door‑to‑door outreach in Bar Nunn. Wilson said Radiant sees generally positive sentiment in direct interactions but acknowledged concerns raised at town halls. Committee members questioned the representativeness of a county‑circulated online survey and noted some attendees at a town council meeting had not received the survey link.
Elected officials urged more education and transparency. Dave North, Natrona County commissioner, said "the majority of my constituents that have reached out to me are in support of this," adding he heard concerns about third‑party waste storage and pledged to try to address them. Casper City Council members said the city would provide a letter of support for infrastructure work and noted community college and high‑school technical programs are positioned to supply trained trade workers. Sheriff Shane Johnson of Lincoln County told the committee that his office is already discussing coordination with TerraPower and that rural response times and staffing levels will be points of ongoing planning.
Committee members asked for further, independent outreach and for any sponsoring companies to provide clearer information on where waste would come from and how it would be handled and transported. Several public speakers urged the committee to wait and not change state law until public questions about long‑term storage and legal authority were resolved.
