Gov. Gary Herbert should overturn the ruling of state regulators permitting EnergySolutions to bring blended waste into Utah.

I’ve been disturbed and confused by the state’s willingness to tolerate importation of nuclear waste. I could not understand what Utah was getting in return for permitting contamination that will require monitoring, and quite possibly remediation, centuries after EnergySolutions is gone.

It appears the answer is in the Jan. 22 Tribune report that EnergySolutions handed our politicians $282,400 in 2010, making it the state’s third largest political donor (“Utah’s biggest organizational donors”). Mystery solved!

State officials should work to attract services, tourism and clean technology. Companies looking for a dump should go elsewhere.

Steve Haycock

Salt Lake City