Public Attitudes toward Siting a High-Level Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada

Examined sources of public opposition to a high-level nuclear waste repository among 1,001 Nevada Ss and a national sample of 1,201 Ss to compare a benefit-cost model and a risk-perception model of individual choice. The willingness of Nevada Ss to accept a repository at Yucca Mountain depended on subjective risk factors, especially the perceived seriousness of risk to future generations and the level of trust placed in the Department of Energy to manage a repository safely. Opposition to a local repository did not decrease significantly when annual monetary compensation was offered. It is suggested that the adoption of mitigation and control procedures such as strict federal standards and local control over repository operation can help instill the trust and public confidence needed before a test site can be accepted.