Sens. Bob Graham and Bill Nelson owe Floridians an explanation of their support for a plan that will require shipping tons of nuclear waste through the state.

Florida Sens. Bob Graham and Bill Nelson did Floridians no favor when they voted to override Nevada's veto of a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain near Las Vegas. The measure passed 60-39, so the U.S. Energy Department will seek a permit to start shipping deadly material left over from nuclear power generation. If the permit is approved, tons of radioactive waste will move along roads and railways in Florida and 38 other states over the next three decades. One accident could have devastating consequences.

The senators might be able to justify their votes if the plan would actually accomplish something. The 15 Democratic senators, including Graham and Nelson, who joined Republicans in approving the plan will probably tell voters back home that they're getting rid of a local problem by sending it to Nevada. They aren't. They're creating a new problem.

Before the Energy Department can finish filling up Yucca Mountain with 70,000 metric tons of highly radioactive waste, nearly an equal amount will have accumulated once again at nuclear power plant sites around the country, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. There are three plants in Florida -- near Crystal River, Fort Pierce and Miami -- where 1,982 metric tons of waste are currently stored. When Yucca Mountain is full, 1,330 metric tons will still be sitting at those Florida sites because the reactors are continually creating waste. Little will have been gained.

Meanwhile, millions of Floridians will be put at risk by the trucks and trains carrying the dangerous material. Even the Energy Department's rosy scenario envisions 100 accidents during the life of the program. While the department points out that radioactive material is already being transported safely, only a fool would play down the potential harm from even one accident.

We shouldn't be surprised that the Yucca Mountain plan breezed through Congress. The nuclear power industry contributed $13.8-million to candidates for federal office in the 2000 elections and spent $25-million to lobby in Washington, according to EWG. The industry got what it wanted: a plan that makes it look like we are doing something about the waste problem so the industry can build more reactors. Of course, that will only increase the amount of waste.

Because of the nature of nuclear reactors, used fuel must stay on site in pools of water for five years to cool enough to be handled and shipped. So we will always have a local storage problem. Putting that material on trucks and rail cars creates a transportation problem, as well. The Energy Department's resources would be better spent upgrading security for on-site storage, which will be a fact of life as long as there are nuclear reactors.

It is a shame Graham and Nelson did not tell Floridians the truth about the future of nuclear power.

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