While the nuclear energy industry and nuclear advocates applauded, Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn (R) said, "I told the secretary that I think the decision stinks, the whole process stinks, and we'll see him in court."

Next comes a bare-knuckle brawl between the federal government and a single state, which gains little from the repository and opposed it from the start.

Abraham must wait 30 days before presenting his choice to the President. If the President agrees, Nevada has 60 days to veto the site, which the governor says he will do. Then Congress has 90 days to override that veto.

Congress is likely to override, but the battle may be hard-fought in the Senate, where Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) says he will block the site.

Abraham justified the selection based on science and security--energy security to ensure nuclear power remains viable as an energy source, national security by limiting weapons proliferation opportunities, and security from terrorists since nuclear waste now rests at 131 sites in 39 states.

Nevada counters that the site will increase terrorists' opportunities by providing 3,000 to 4,000 new nuclear shipment targets each year for 38 years in addition to the current nuclear power plants.

Nevada will begin a multi-million-dollar media campaign next month, funded in large part by casinos, to point this fact out to people living on shipping routes, state official Robert Loux says.

Loux also promises litigation beyond the half-dozen pending suits. "I believe we can keep them out of the site for decades," he says.

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