Court Says Delay in Decision for Nevada Nuclear Dump Must End

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court says the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been violating federal law by delaying a decision on a proposed nuclear waste dump in Nevada.

By a 2-1 vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ordered the commission to complete the licensing process and approve or reject the Energy Department's application for a waste site at Nevada's Yucca Mountain.

In a sharply worded opinion, the court said the nuclear agency was "simply flouting the law" when it allowed the Obama administration to continue plans to close the proposed waste site near Las Vegas.

The action goes against a federal law designating Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste repository. The court said the president can't ignore a congressional mandate simply because of policy objections.