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Id llli7, i P.O. Box 870 U.S. Postage
ino; Warm Springs, OR 97761 Bulk Rale Permit No. 2
WU 1994 Address Correction Requested Warm Springs, OR 97761
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VOL. 19 NO. 7
Governor objects to
nuclear storage facility
Oregon Governor Barbara Rob
erts emphasized recently that safety,
science and state law make it impos
sible for Oregon to support a poten
tial temporary nuclear storage site on
the Fort McDermi tt Paiute-Shoshone
Tribe's reservation in southeastern
Malheur county. However, tribal
officials say their tribe is merely
studying the possibility of con
structing a repository on tribal lands
and that no final decisions have yet
been made. A temporary nuclear
storage facility, called a monitored
retrievable storage (MRS) facility,
would hold spent fuel used to gener
ate electricity. No military nuclear
waste would be stored at the site.
The federal government is solicit
ing proposals for MRS sites to re
ceive spent nuclear fuel from reac
tors throughout the United States. A
number of Native American tribes
have expressed interest in studying
possible sites, including the Fort
McDermitt Paiute-Shoshones, whose
reservation straddles the Oregon
Nevada border. Because current fed
eral law prohibits siting an MRS in
Nevada, where studies are underway
for a permanent nuclear waste re
pository at Yucca Mountain, any
facility on the Fort McDermitt reser
vation would have to be located in
Oregon.
The Oregon facility would be built
Man beaten
to death
The body of a 35-year-old tribal
member man was found behind a
residence in West Hills Saturday,
March 26.
The badly beaten body of Randy
Yahtin, Sr. was found behind the
residence at 1715 Foster Street.
According to police chief Don
Courtney, "foul play" is considered
to be the contributing factor in
Yahtin's death. An autopsy was per
formed March 27 by state medical
examiner Larry Lewman who ruled
Yahtin died as a result of massive
trauma to the head.
Courtney said investigators from
the FBI, BIA and tribal police de
partment are following up on leads
and tracking Yahtin's activities dur
ing the 24 hours prior to his death.
The investigation continues.
Even though it's spring time, fire danger is unusually high this year. A small fire near Miller Heights had fire crew
members and neighbors jumping last week. Use caution when burning around homes and property. Be sure to obtain
ait necessary jut permit.
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above ground and would store nuclear
wastes for about 40 years. Perma
nent disposal will be in a deep under
ground repository that will isolate
wastes for thousands of years.
In 1991, the federal government
stepped up its efforts to find a volun
tary host fora MRS facility. All states
and federally recognized Indian tribes
were sent letters by the Nuclear Waste
Negotiator which asked for volun
teers to study the feasibility of hosting
an MRS.
The Department of Energy of
fered grants in three phases to conduct
the studies. By 1993, the DOE had
awarded $100,000 Phase I grants to
seven tribes and three counties. Four
tribes had received $200,000 Phase
II-A grants, the Fort McDermitt tribe
being one of them. Further funding
has been limited by amendments to
the DOE's 1994 budget bill.
Tribal official are adamant that
the Fort McDermitt tribe is studying
the possibility of constructing a fa
cility on reservation land. Assuming
the feasibiity studies check out and
the tribe continues the study process,
it will take another four to six years
of in-depth,.scientific an dpublic
scrutiny before a license to construct
a faciikty could be issuesd.
Governor Roberts listed several
specific objections to the MRS siting
process and to any location in Or
egon. Oregon statutes specifically or
der that no disposal facility for nuclear
waste can be established in the state,
with minor exception such as for
certain medical or research wastes.
Both the Oregon Hanford Waste
Board and the Oregon Department of
Energy have recommended oppos
ing any MRS.
No evidence exists that MRS
facilities would result in increased
safety. They would use the same
technology currently used for multiple-decade
storage at individual
reactor sites (including the decom
missioned Trojan plant). Taking into
account the added hazards of trans
portation to the MRS sites and, even
tually, to a permanent federal reposi
tory, public health and safety risks
may well be increased by collecting
wastes from around the nation to
temporary facilities.
Continued on page 2
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P.O. BOX 870, WARM
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seniors.
gave warm greetings to each other.
Cable system
Warm Springs residents can once
again go home after work, turn on the
TV and watch the latest local and
national news, thanks to an ambi
tious endeavor by Central Vision.
Short of satellite television, Cen
tral Vision owners have taken over
what was Dan Macy's television
system, long out of service due to ill
repair. Central Vision offers numer
ous ( 1 6) channels including Portland
station, WTBS, TNN, USA, Family
Blazer Cable and other channels.
Owners expect to have a premium
movie channel (Showtime) in work
ing order very soon.
Cost for service is $ 1 9.95 a month
plus a $30 hookup fee ($10 per ad
ditional TV). Installation costs may
vary due to repairs or long-distance
cabling.The premium channel will
cost $9.95 more per month and $5
more per TV.
Central Vision personnel have
been busy upgrading and replacing
the cable and electronics in the Warm
Springs vicinity. Owners are also
working with Tribal Council to re
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upgraded; signal strong
ceive permission to place TV "beam
benders" in various locations so other
remote areas of the reservation can
receive signal, according to a letter
distributed among residents.
If customers are delinquent pay
ing their bills, Central Vision will be
able to block out service. If custom
Kah-Nee-Ta April 11 and 12
Caregivers conference set
The Circle Of Life, a caregivers
conference, will be held Monday and
Tuesday, April 11 and 12 at Kah-Nee-Ta
Resort. The Central Oregon
Hospice Coalition, Oregon Hospice
Association and Cascades East Area
Health Education Center are co
sponsoring the event. The confer
ence will be a unique opportunity for
hospice staff and volunteers, from
nurses, physicians, pastors and chap
lains, social workers to caregivers of
every kind. Registration is $175 for
both days or $87.50 for one day. Fees
include all meals, including a tradi
APRIL 1, 1994
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ers still have past due bills owing to
Macy, Central Vision will hook up
the customer, but it is the customer's
responsibility to bring the past due
bill current
For further information or to
subscribe, contact Central Vision at
3824031.
tional salmon bake at the Lodge.
A workshop dealing with pain will
be held from 8:30 a.m. through 3:30
p.m. At the same time, a cultural
perspectives retreat on living and
dying will be held and will include
presentations on Native American,
Hispanic American, African Ameri
can and Asian American experiences.
The second day of the conference
will feature The Helper's Journey"
with Dale Larson.
For further information contact the
Central Oregon Hospice Coalition at
(503)548-7483.