Supreme Court to weigh radioactive-waste issue

The Supreme Court Monday stepped into the controversy over storage of dangerous radioactive waste from nuclear power plants.

The court will review a Nuclear Regulatory Commission rule that assumes no nuclear waste would be released from storage in salt mines - even though none is now buried there. Congress is to open debate on an administration-backed proposal to create a nuclear waste disposal system.

In a separate decision, the justices cleared the way for the release of 6,000 hours of Richard Nixon's secret Oval Office tape recordings for public consumption. Mr. Nixon will still be able to try blocking release on a tape-by-tape basis if he feels it would violate his rights to privacy or executive privilege.