Residents and City officials alike in Fort Smith, Arkansas, are voicing their concerns about a proposed nuclear waste facility near the city.

 

A group called Arkansas Nuclear Voice or A-N-V hosted a community forum in Fort Smith on Monday night where citizens and city leaders came out against the facility. A-N-V is one of 12 groups selected and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to find locations to store spent nuclear fuel. The D-O-E is looking to consolidate all US nuclear waste at one location on an interim basis until a permanent disposal solution can be found.

 

Fort Smith has been tapped as one of 25 possible locations for such a facility in the country.

 

Public Relations Manager for the City of Fort Smith Josh Buchfink (Buck-fink?) told those at the forum that the overwhelming majority of the calls and emails he has received on the issue are adamantly opposed to this type of facility coming to Fort Smith.

 

There will be a vote at the next meeting of the City Board of Directors on a non-binding resolution stating that the people do not want a nuclear waste storage facility near Fort Smith.