Otter hears from former governors

BOISE (AP) - Two former Idaho governors are telling the state's current chief executive to stick to a landmark agreement signed 17 years ago requiring the federal government to remove all nuclear waste from Idaho National Laboratory by 2035.

Former Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus and Republican Phil Batt each reinforced the importance of sticking to the 1995 agreement in guest opinions sent to Idaho newspapers.

Andrus even suggested that INL and state government officials were involved in secret talks on a new deal - one that might allow INL to accept spent nuclear fuel.

Otter told The Idaho Statesman (http://bit.ly/MJ1KbZ ) he stands behind the original agreement and has no intention of making Idaho a dumping ground for nuclear waste.

The agreement bans storage of commercial spent fuel at INL, with a few exceptions.