VALENCIAN TOWN AHEAD IN RACE TO BECOME NUCLEAR CEMETERY

Although not all the inhabitants agree, the village of Zarra in Valencia has emerged as the front runner in the government's selection process for its controversial nuclear waste site, according to a Industry Ministry committee's preliminary report.

The town with a population of 511 inhabitants was one of 11 municipalities that applied in January to house the Centralized Temporary Storage Site, or ATC in Spanish. The decision isn't a final one, but the committee's report puts Zarra ahead of three other close contenders: Ascó in Catalonia, and Villar de Cañas and Yebra, both in Castilla- La Mancha.

The announcement that Zarra could be selected for the ATC created a stir on Friday when an Industry Ministry official called Valencia's deputy regional premier Vicente Rambla to tell him that Zarra had gotten the highest scores and that the government's final decision would be forthcoming. Immediately, the Popular Party regional government in Valencia announced that it would appeal the decision in court.

Then at a news conference later that day, Deputy Prime Minister María Teresa Fernández de la Vega had to explain that the government had not given its final approval. “The Cabinet has studied an extensive report by the Industry Ministry but no decision has been taken,” Fernández de la Vega said. “We have asked for a complementary report. These are complex discussions that will continue when we get the other report.”

Attracted by the initial investment of 700 million euros, and the creation of 300 jobs during the five years the facility's construction will require, the mayors of these small towns, including Zarra, had been eager to have the ATC in their municipalities. Yet, regional premiers, including Socialist José María Barreda of Castilla-La Mancha, were dead set against having the ATC on their turf. Valencia regional premier Francisco Camps has also come out against Zarra officials.

“They take our water and send us their waste,” some PP officials said when it was known that Zarra was among the contenders. According to sources at the prime minister's La Moncloa residence, the Cabinet wants to consult legal opinion to ensure that the regional governments will not be able to block any negotiations between the central government and the municipality that is eventually selected.
On Sunday, the environmental group Greenpeace-Spain, which considers the ATC dangerous, said in a statement that it believes the government has already given the green light to Zarra and said that the move was an electoral decision.

In Zarra, the majority of people who were asked on the street last week about the decision, said they favored bringing the ATC to their town. “It seems that death has already warmed over us here in the form of the [Cofrentes]nuclear plant, so it really doesn't matter to me whether I am spooked once or twice,” said one man sitting in the main square. “I am in favor of that storage facility because it will bring something of value to the people.”