WASHINGTON -- Congressman Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., reacted angrily Wednesday to Republican plans to immediately turn the Nevada Test Site into a nuclear waste dump, according to her staff.

U.S. Sen.'s Harry Reid and John Ensign also quickly denounced the proposal.

Legislation generated by Sen.'s Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, would also accelerate the date when nuclear waste could be brought to the Yucca Mountain repository by altering the date when a license could be issued.

"There is only one answer to this dangerous scheme to immediately turn the Nevada Test Site into a nuclear waste dump," Berkley said, "and that is 'no way.'"

She said the plan for a waste dump is "just as danagerous as Yucca Mountain, if not worse."

Berkley said the so-called Nu-Way plan authored by the GOP senators would put families at risk across the country and would include "truckloads of radioactive garbage" that would be transported through Las Vegas.

According to Berkley, the plan to allow the test site's immediate use as a dumping ground is forbidden by law and amounts to a "slap in the face" to families who have been promised fair treatment.

The two Nevada senators also attacked the plan, to use Yucca Mountain for above-ground storage of nuclear waste.

"This is an irresponsible piece of legislation. Rather than addressing the problems facing the proposed dump at Yucca Mountain, its supporters are already trying to cram in more waste before it's even built," said Reid. "The dump is not based on legal, political, or scientific reality. Rather than trying to force nuclear waste into Yucca Mountain, the DOE should take ownership of nuclear waste and store it at nuclear power plans where it's produced. This is a critical topic that must be addressed as part of the bigger picture of energy independence."

His Republican counterpart Ensign also attacked the proposal.

"For the last 25 years, the Yucca Mountain project has been disastrous and has wasted billions of taxpayers' dollars," said Ensign. "This bill attempts to circumvent existing hazardous material laws, start construction and increase spending on the broken Yucca Mountain project all prior to license approval. This legislation continues a reckless policy that disregards public safety and fiscal responsibility. I will continue my efforts to end this terrible project."

Reid and Ensign recently introduced the Federal Accountability for Nuclear Waste Storage Act of 2007 that would eliminate the need for the Yucca Mountain project by requiring nuclear waste to be stored at the point where nuclear power is being used.