Firm mounts lobbying offensive for nuclear waste pact
Dallas businessman Simmons' team includes array of ex-state officials
02-07-99
By George Kuempel / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN - A company controlled by Dallas businessman Harold Simmons has assembled
a $1 million team of two dozen lobbyists in a bid for the state's potentially
Iucrative radioactive waste disposal business.
The group representing Waste Control Specialists, based in Pasadena, Texas,
includes former top aides to Gov. George W. Bush and a bevy of influential
one-time state senators and representatives.
"They seem to think of this as a battle of Armageddon, I guess," said Craig
Thorley, a lawyer for the company's chief rival, Utah-based Envirocare.
Waste Control spokesman Bill Miller defended the company's plans. "It takes a lot
of people with the Legislature and a limited amount of attention, so we threw
talent at the situation, " he said.
Cliff Johnson, another one-time Bush aide, represents a group of Andrews County
business and government leaders backing Waste Control.
Mr. Simmons, who bought controlling interest in the company in 1995, is well
known in Austin political circles. He is a major political donor and contributed
$103,000 to newly elected Lt. Gov. Rick Perry.
Three former state senators - Bill Haley, Carl Parker and Bill Sims - are working
for Waste Control, as are former House members Hugo Berlanga, Hilary Doran and
Jim Rudd.
The company also has hired two public relations consultants - Mr. Miller and Tony
Proffitt, former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock's longtime press secretary.
The rival
Envirocare's six lobbyists reported that they will receive up to
$230,000.
The company also has hired Lawrence Jacobi, former general manager of the Texas
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority. Mr. Jacobi said his work for the company
won't be in connection with its nuclear disposal efforts in the Legislature.
Chuck McDonald of Austin, an ex-aide to former Gov. Ann Richards, was hired as
Envirocare's public relations consultant.
Mr. Clayton, the Envirocare lobbyist, said he wants to ensure that the proposed
law to privatize the dump will require competitive bids for the contract to
operate and manage the dump.
"Our people just want an opportunity to bid. If we can't win on bid, we don't
deserve to be there," he said.
Andrews County business, civic and government leaders have rallied behind Waste
Control in its push for the business. They say it will provide needed jobs.
Falling oil and gas prices have put many of the county's 14,000 residents out of
work, and there are few other businesses to take up the slack.
Safety concerns
Opponents worry that wastes may be spilled en route to the dump or will
contaminate the Ogallala Aquifer - allegations that Waste Control disputes.
Peggy Pryor of Andrews, a founder of Stop Andrews Nuclear Dump, acknowledged that
her small group of about 25 members is pitted against local businesses.
Ms. Pryor, a college student, said many local residents like herself oppose
taking the waste but are afraid they will lose their jobs if they speak out.
"If your bosses are for it, you don't dare speak against it in Andrews County,"
she said.
Ms. Pryor said her group also fears that Andrews County will become the nation's
nuclear dumping ground.
Waste Control has waged a lengthy but unsuccessful battle in Washington and the
federal courts to contract with the Department of Energy to dispose of its
low-level radioactive waste.
Envirocare isn't heading into new legislative session unarmed, either. It has
hired two former Texas House speakers, Bill Clayton and Gib Lewis, to
oversee its six-member lobbying group.
The companies are vying for state approval to dispose of
growing stockpiles of low-level nuclear waste, a prize experts say could
eventually produce big profits.
Waste Control wants to bury the material at its 1,338-acre hazardous
and toxic waste dump in Andrews County on the New Mexico border.
Envirocare, which operates a low-level
radioactive waste dump in Utah, has
purchased 880 acres in Andrews County as a possible dump site.
Texas planned to build and manage a repository for the waste generated
within its borders, as mandated by the federal government. It also
has agreed to take Maine and Vermont's wastes.
Considered only moderately dangerous, the wastes from medical centers, university
research facilities and utilities are too "hot" for disposal at conventional
dumps.
But the site initially selected by the state in Hudspeth County along the Mexican
border was rejected last year as unsafe.
Some lawmakers now say its time to give private industry a chance to do the job,
and they have filed a bill to do that. Waste Control and Envirocare are jockeying
for the competitive edge if the Legislature goes along with the idea.
Their lobbying battle pales somewhat compared with those on other high-profile
issues, such as electric and telecommunications deregulation. Some legislative
veterans say Waste Control is spending an unusually large amount of money.
'A big project'
Mr. Miller of Waste Control disagreed: "It's a big project. It's tremendously
complex. We're dead serious about it being successful."
According to reports filed with the state, 20 lobbyists have signed up to work
for Waste Control or on its behalf. They stand to collect up to $1 million for
their services, according to financial reports they filed with the state that
spell out their range of compensation.
Two other lobbyists hired by Waste Control have not yet filed the reports with
the Texas Ethics Commission, and company officials are interiewing a handful of
others to fill out the team.
Former aides to Gov. George W. Bush who have signed on are Reggie Bashur; Roy
Coffee, former director of the Austin office of federal-state relations; and
Andrew Barrett, the governor's former environmental affairs adviser.