Font ResizeAlthough Gov. Gary Herbert has already piled up more than $500,000 in donations to his political action committee, he says he won't accept any contributions from EnergySolutions.
He says that, while individuals and companies should be able to give money to whomever they want, candidates don't need to accept the money.
"There are some groups out there I won't be taking money from. EnergySolutions is one of them," the governor said during his monthly KUED news conference. Herbert's self-imposed ban on EnergySolutions donations follows the same practice by his predecessor, former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
Herbert said he still opposes an effort by the nuclear waste company to import 1,600 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy and bury it at its Clive dump.
"For me, it's a capacity issue," he said. "I don't think that we want to use up our limited capacity by storing foreign waste."
Herbert says he also supports federal legislation sponsored by Utah Reps. Jim Matheson and Jason Chaffetz, that would ban the importation.
That is a shift for Herbert, who said earlier this month that he would not publicly endorse the legislation as it was headed to a hearing in the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.
"This is great news," said Vanessa Pierce, director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, which opposes the nuclear waste. "We're thrilled to see Governor Herbert show decisive leadership on an issue so
The state has joined the Northwest Interstate Compact on Low-level Radioactive Waste in challenging a federal judge's ruling that the state and the compact cannot prohibit EnergySolutions from importing the waste.
EnergySolutions has offered to share with the state up to half of the $3 billion proceeds from disposing of foreign waste -- an offer the state has refused despite continuing interest by some legislative leaders.
Herbert has also opposed EnergySolutions' efforts to store depleted uranium, which grows more radioactive over time, at its waste site. The state's Radiation Control Board has delayed depleted uranium shipments to the EnergySolutions facility pending completion of a safety study.
The governor is hosting his first fund-raising gala next week, and is soliciting contributions of up to $50,000 from companies that want to be "presenting sponsors" of the event. That is five times the amount that Huntsman accepted in his last several events.
Herbert defended his decision to accept such large donations and insisted the donors are not buying influence.
"Why is $50,000 too much and $25,000 not? Or five?" he asked. "Either you believe your politicians are honest or not, and I think you ought to address that based on their conduct."
The contributions go to the Friends of Gary R. Herbert political action committee and can be used for various expenses or can be shifted into his gubernatorial campaign account. So far, Herbert has no challenger in either party.
Herbert has opposed limits on campaign contributions, saying it would prevent the average Utahn from competing in elections, but said his own big-donor fund-raising does not deter challengers.
He says he needs the backing of donors because wealthy candidates could just pay for their own campaign.
"I'm not wanting to limit anybody else's ability to raise money, either," he said.
Herbert has begun disclosing his donors on his Web site at http://www.garyherbert.com.
The governor said parents should be responsible for providing their children with sex education, but he would be amenable to schools providing sex ed classes if parents give their consent. A proposal in the Legislature would set up such a two-track system.
As Herbert meets with department heads, he is asking them to provide scenarios for cuts of up to 7 percent. He says there will be cuts, but he "is going to take a scalpel approach. This is not a meat cleaver." He wants agencies to find ways to do more with less.
He said he believes the earth's climate is changing, but he has questions about whether it is human-caused and what can be done to curb the trend. He plans to have a forum in January to discuss the issue.
