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CITY, ND – (NewsDakota.com) UND researchers are part of an million federal Energy Department project to determine whether deep rock is suitable for nuclear waste disposal in North Dakota. A proposal to drill deep bore holes is raising fear that the project is a step toward burying nuclear waste.

North Dakotans Against Nuclear Waste gave a presentation to the Upper Sheyenne Basin Board meeting this week in Valley City. Spokesman Chuck Volk is a Pierce County farmer who lives two miles from the proposed site. He and others including Dallas Hager and Stephanie Steinke-Houim are skeptical about the project and submitted petitions to support a permanent ban on the proposal. All three are Pierce County residents and they addressed their concerns in Valley City during an interview with Steve Urness.

Valley City Mayor Bob Werkhoven says the proposal is concerning being the city receives its drinking water from the Sheyenne River.

UND researchers have said that no nuclear waste would be buried and that the test holes would be plugged.

But in February, Pierce County planners recommended a permanent ban on deep bore drilling to stop the project in their county.

For more information about North Dakotans Against Nuclear Waste go to their website www.ndanw.org