JEFF STEINBORN

New Mexico's governor has signed legislation that calls for banning the storage of spent nuclear fuel in New Mexico, unless the state provides its consent first.

A bill from Democratic New Mexico Senator Jeff Steinborn, which proposed a ban on the local disposal of spent nuclear fuel, was approved in the state Senate.

The New Mexico Senate approved a proposed ban on the local disposal of spent nuclear fuel, unless the state provides its consent first.

The U.S. government is offering more money to find a solution for storing or disposing of spent nuclear fuel from the nation's commercial nuclear power plants.

State officials have released a draft permit that includes tougher provisions for the U.S. government to meet if it wants to continue dumping radioactive waste from decades of nuclear research and bomb-making in the New Mexico desert.