Plans for Utah’s first nuclear power plant cleared a big hurdle Friday, when State Engineer Kent Jones OK’d the use of Green River water to cool the proposed reactors.
Proponents called the decision an important step, made after lengthy and painstaking review. But critics said lawsuits are almost certain in light of the desert river’s importance for farmers, recreationists, endangered fish and some of the other 25 million people who rely on the water downstream.
"The state of Utah has decided to up the contention over the Colorado," said John Weisheit, whose Moab-based environmental group was among the 200 organizations and individuals to protest the water proposal.
"There’s going to be litigation between the states," he predicted, "because [Utah officials] are allocating water that isn’t there. Someone upstream or someone downstream is going to suffer."
