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DOE forms group to devise new nuclear waste plan
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STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- Energy Secretary Steven Chu is moving forward on a new strategy for managing nuclear waste in the wake of a study that recommended changes in how a disposal site might be developed.
Chu announced in Georgia on Wednesday that he has formed an internal DOE group to assess the recommendations of the nuclear waste commission "and develop a strategy that builds on its excellent work."
The Energy Department was directed to provide Congress with a nuclear waste plan within six months after the termination of the Yucca Mountain project in Nevada, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, and the release of the commission's report in January.
"I am committed to working with Congress to consider the commission's proposals and develop a long-term strategy for the disposal of nuclear waste," Chu's remarks said.
Chu made the announcement in a speech at the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Ga., where the government last week awarded the first permit in 35 years to build a new commercial reactor.
Among its findings, the commission recommended giving states and communities a larger voice in hosting a nuclear waste repository. The group said a "consent-based" approach might work better than a strategy that inflamed Nevada officials.
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault a stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
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Next Yucca Mountain Court of Appeals hearing scheduled for May 2, 2012.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=court%20appeals%20%22may%202%22%20nuclear%20regulatory&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.state.nv.us%2Fnucwaste%2Flicensing%2Faiken120213add.pdf&ctbs=qdr%3Am&ei=ooc-T5CtFYHs2AWs18W3CA&usg=AFQjCNE00on-reBCH1xq8CIPoTcfHm8P3A
BTW, reimburse the taxpayer for all the money spent in Nevada so the peope of Nevada can put it to good use. Politicians will not be able to touch a dime of that money.
Excellent point Matt but that would be too easy and far too inexpensive for our government to fathom. There will need to be more parties of 12 and billions more spent on another site only to come back to re-researching Nevada and then the credit for recycling the waste will go to some person in the administration who came up with the miracle plan (this causes a problem for now thousands of government employees will have to be let go to save billions of dollars). Only after trillions of dollars are wasted avoiding the obvious will billions of dollars be spent on reality. Welcome to the U.S. government.
I presume the term 'waste' is actually referring to spent fuel from civilian nuclear reactors.
I wonder if the group will be considering solutions to re-use this energy-rich resource rather than just other places to put it?
There are several reactor designs that can apparently burn this stuff to provide energy - and do so in safe ways.
An example is the LFTR (Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor). These projects are struggling and need money to complete their commercialization process. Will this group be in a position to recommend funding to these solutions?
If not, perhaps it's better the spent fuel stays where it is - with the reactor. I wouldn't like it travelling all over the country - too risky.
This is such BS! The new group is not going to get an answer and some day NV will have to swallow the project unless the economy gets worse, then it get's interesting. There will be lots of interest at that time.
who ever creates the waste should keep the waste in their own backyard.