Andrews community speak up about possible high level nuclear waste site
Wednesday, February 15th 2017
By Eric Onyechefule, Reporter
News West 9
ANDREWS, TX (KWES) – The process for a possible high level nuclear storage facility in Andrews continued with a public hearing for the community on Wednesday. Many voiced their opinion against the facility including Silvia Ramos a resident of Andrews who is worried about the health and safety of the children if the waste is stored in her city.
"It’s not good for them. It’s a high level radiation that they want to put here. I just don’t want it for my kids," said Ramos.
Waste Control Specialists, the organization who recently applied for the high-level storage facility, believed the facility would help employment and help the economy, but residents aren’t buying it.
Chuck McDonald, WCS Spokesperson, said "If we expand our operations, we’ll see an expansion in our workforce naturally. These are good paying jobs, full benefits. We are an important part of the local economy."
"I don’t want the jobs. It’s a job that’s going to kill someone. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year. What about in five years? Or ten years later?" said Ramos.
During the three-hour meeting, the residents spoke their minds and with WCS’s time line of a possible approval of the license happening in 2019 you can expect the disapproval from Ramos and others to get louder.
Copyright KWES 2017. All rights reserved.
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