A recent poll conducted by a national research firm sponsored by the Las Vegas Review Journal revealed that 83 per cent of Nevadan's opposed the Yucca Mountain project. In the same survey, more than 40% strongly disagreed with a statement that the federal government had done honest scientific research. Finally a large majority believed that whatever the scientists concluded, the facility would still go ahead.
UNLV Professor David Hassenzahl says assessing the risks of Yucca Mountain are impossible without trust.
Dr. David Hassenzahl is a professor of Environmental Studies at UNLV and the author of the leading text book on risk-assessment "Should We Risk It?"