Analyzing Message in "Nuclear Waste Solution Seen in Desert Salt Beds"

Reflecting on the bullets from pg. 182 of A Student's Guide to First Year Writing:

Here are the most relevant bullets from pg. 182.

• respond to a particular occasion or text?

This bullet is relevant because the text is responding to the use of New Mexico salt beds as a nuclear waste repository.

• explore a topic?

The article is exploring the topic of nuclear waste storage and what makes a location suitable for a repository.

• reflect on a topic?

The article does some reflection on how the repository will effect the community.

Here are the bullets that are not relevant:

• express an idea or opinion?
• analyze, synthesize, or interpret?
• persuade readers of something?
• advocate for change?
• move the readers to feel a certain way?

The above bullets are all related in that they are related to subjective interepretations of information. This text attempts to stay objective on the subject by relaying facts and details about the subject. These bullets are not related to the message of this article.

Are there any nuances and layers to the message the author/speaker is trying to get across? 

There are some nuances to the message. The general message is that the salt beds of New Mexico are a good place to store nuclear waste. Some of the nuances that the author includes relate to why the salt beds are effective for storing nuclear waste. She describes how the salt behaves around the waste in an attempt to further her message and convince her audience with somewhat technical details.