Number	18624
Subject	Conflicts Of Interest
Source	Sun (Las Vegas, Nev.)
State	Nevada
Year	2001
Publication Date	July 29, 31, Aug. 2, Sept. 24, Nov. 1, 15, 16, 18, 30, Dec. 3, 4, 7
Summary	A Las Vegas Sun investigation reveals that the law firm hired by the Energy Department to do legal work on the Yucca Mountain repository has been lobbying to get the project built. The Energy Department manages the proposed Yucca Mountain project, a federal proposal to bury tens of thousands of tons of nuclear waste at the site about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The plan is controversial, environmentalists say its a bad idea, the nuclear energy industry says its needed. The Energy Department hired Chicago-based Winston & Straw to "independently review Yucca documents and impartially advise the DOE about possible flaws." But the Las Vegas Sun learned that Winston & Straw also does lobbying work for the Nuclear Energy Institute, the energy industry's top trade group and the "most vocal Yucca proponent in Washington." Nevada lawmakers contend that Winston & Straw involvement with the NEI and DOE presents a dangerous conflict of interest.
Category	Contest Entry
Pages	34
Keywords	conflict of interest;ethics;Winston & Shaw;lawyers;federal government;Energy Department;Department of Energy;Yucca Mountain;nuclear waste;nuclear energy;Nuclear Energy Institute;lobbying;big money;politics;environment
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