Wide Use of Nuclear Dump to Be Barred

SACRAMENTO — California and three other states, partners in a venture to dispose of low-radiation nuclear waste near Needles in the Mojave Desert, on Tuesday rejected requests from 14 other states and Washington, D.C., to join them in using the site.

Underscoring their resolve to keep the proposed Ward Valley dump site to themselves, representatives of the four-state compact also voted to send out letters to all 46 non-member states saying they will reject any further applications.

Scott Lewis, a spokesman for the Department of Health Services, said California had received a large number of requests from other states wanting to ship their low-level radioactive waste to the site.