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Top Morning Stories January 5, 2011

Logo courtesy of the TLLRWDCC

Radioactive Waste Expansion Plan OK'd

A Texas commission has voted to allow up to 36 more states to dump their low-level radioactive waste in West Texas.  The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commissionapproved the plan 5-2 Tuesday.  Initially, Texas and Vermont were the only states that were going to be allowed to dump at the site still under construction in Andrews County.  Some environmentalists are opposed to the expansion and may challenge it.  Here's what Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club Conservation Director Cyrus Reed said in a press release:

"Thousands of members of the public as well as several members of the  Texas Legislature asked the Commission to either vote 'no' on the rules or at least delay voting on the proposed rules until the Legislature had met, the site had actually been constructed, opened, proved to be safe and the Commission had an actual budget with which to operate. Instead, the Commission has rushed into a grave decision based upon false information from the license holder that waste from other states was needed to make the site economical. Fortunately, the Commission's vote is likely to be challenged in court because not all comments on the rules were even considered.  Sierra Club awaits a decision by a State District Court that would allow us to participate in a hearing to determine the safety of the site,"

Earlier Tuesday the Commission guaranteed Vermont 20 percent capacity at the dump site run by Waste Control Specialists.  

Alabama's Davis Headed to Texas

UT Head Coach Mack Brown has hired Alabama's defensive line coach Bo Davis. He will be Texas' defensive tackles coach.  Davis has spent four seasons with the Crimson Tide and helped lead Alabama to a win in the 2009 BCS National Championship game against the Longhorns. Davis credited his new opportunity with Texas to his now former boss:

 It's tremendous to be able to come to a place like The University of Texas, which, like Alabama, has such a rich history," Davis said. "I owe all of the credit for this opportunity to Nick Saban. I've been with him for eight years and he's a phenomenal man. I've learned so much from him and really appreciate the opportunity I had to work with him."

Davis replaces UT coach Mike Tolleson, who retired last month after the Horns' losing season.   

Congressman Ortiz Cleared in Travel Probe

The Associated Pressis reporting Corpus Christi Democrat Solomon Ortiz has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an ethics review.  The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct had been looking into how Congressman Ortiz spent government money on overseas trips.  The Committee closed its investigation after staff said no violations were found.  Ortiz lost his 2010 re-election bid.     spn

 

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