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Nuclear waste hearing turns testy over Yucca Mountain
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Lee Hamilton
Panel co-chair
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STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- Leaders of an expert study panel urged Congress on Wednesday to abandon the long-troubled strategy that has failed to solve the problem of how the nation should dispose of nuclear waste.
Co-chairman Lee Hamilton said members of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future don't expect lawmakers to act this year on broad changes it has recommended after a two-year study.
But he urged some steps be taken on reforms, including a new "consent-based" approach to finding a state willing to host burial of high-level nuclear waste that has accumulated at power plants and government installations.
Hamilton said the cooperative strategy "is the only path on the table to get us out of the box" after the long impasse over the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada.
"We can continue along to fight the same battles we have fought for decades with no conclusion, or we can step back and try to chart a new course, and that is what we are recommending to you," he told members of the House energy and environment subcommittee.
The hearing on the commission's findings turned testy after lawmakers kept returning the discussion to Yucca Mountain. They insisted it remains the most promising solution even as the Obama administration has shut it down.
Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus, R-Ill., said the plug was pulled too soon on Yucca Mountain, making it impossible to judge whether it could be safe or gain acceptance beyond the state's rural counties.
Shimkus and other Republicans placed blame on President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the Senate majority leader who led the state's opposition, fought the project on Capitol Hill and persuaded the president to terminate it.
"I reject the premise that we have failed," Shimkus told Hamilton and co-chairman Brent Scowcroft. "This president and this majority leader have failed to comply with the law, and that's why, unfortunately, they've asked you to spend a lot of time, effort and energy covering their rear ends."
After nearly 30 years and expenditures of about $15 billion, Yucca Mountain "is one of the most significant failures of American policy on an energy issue ever," said Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.
But Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said lawmakers should "move past a narrow obsession with Yucca Mountain," which he pointed out was designated in 1987 after Congress cut short an initial site selection.
Others were more resigned.
"The Nevada delegation pledged eternal opposition, and they meant it," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.
Rep. Gene Green, R-Texas, said, "Certain political realities must be accepted in the here and now."
Hamilton and Scowcroft were pressed on Yucca Mountain to where Hamilton finally spoke up.
"Our view is we've had 30 to 40 years' experience, and as a country we have not been able to reach a solution," he said. "You can blame whoever you want. I suspect there is blame to go around. The fact is, the process we have been following has not worked for whatever reason, and it continues to roll up huge costs to the American taxpayer.
"If you stand around and insist on Yucca, Yucca, Yucca, which people have been insisting on for a long, long time but have not been able to pull it off, we think the result of that is an impasse," Hamilton said. "You are correct. Yucca Mountain is the repository. The only problem is we can't enforce the law. That has not been the solution."
In a statement after the hearing, Reid said Yucca Mountain proponents should accept that the program is over.
"The Yucca project is dead, and the sooner all Republicans realize this, the sooner we can finally develop a nuclear waste policy that protects all Nevadans and Americans," he said.
At the hearing, several lawmakers challenged whether any state would volunteer for nuclear waste. Scowcroft pointed to New Mexico, where the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant opened in 1999 to store certain forms of defense nuclear waste.
"This process of siting is going to be a very difficult process," Hamilton said.
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
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The Last Word. Myself, as a "Party with Standing" in the NRC ASLBP, I must inform you that the US DOE must prove site ownership according the regulation for the siting of domestic nuclear facilities (10 CFR 960).The issues are legal and are bourne out in the NRC (www.trackhearings.com) if you really want to be informed. Paramount to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act is the Treaty of Ruby Valley and the US Constitution. I have heard it all about what we (Native Americans) had, what we lost what we were given and have to live with. But that argument does not fit the facts of the case laid out in licensing. Finally, the truth is a dirty little secret that is bad enough to stop the USDOE from making Yucca Mountain a deep geologic repository for high level nuclea waste. Look and you shall have vision.
Max: I wore this kind of comment in other articles. It will take many more years to develop Yucca as Nuclear depository. Technology has been progressing rapidly. In stead of out-of-dated idea of nuclear waste dumps, USA needs to create 21st century repository. We wasted money. Japanese corporations are itchy to create their divisions in USA. For instance Toyota already create their cars in KY and sending to Korea, China, etc. They sell here but these Japanese send their USA products to deep in China. Many reasons they don't make their products but we can take advantage. They have money. US govt. can lease Yucca area expensively. To Japanese tycoon corporations, very cheaper than So. Ca. Maybe we have more employees. I think this will solve part of our unemployment problem. I don't think robot operating nuclear waste site will not employ 30,000 or more people (one auto maker). People want to work for dump have to train themselves to nuclear science engineering information technology (remote controlled robot operators). Maybe 20 or 25 employees (Aomori Prefecxture's plant) with such degreed people. non-recycable waste wouldn't be too expensive to ship Mongolia or whatever country which hoping to have waste. Just my wish. Nevada might increase corporation tax. If Yucca is too small, always Clark County. All we have to do is to shut our mouth about Metro. Just explain about Henderson. Alaska has been inviting but too cold. Don't you think Nevada is better situated? Cheaper than Irvine Calif. Even Top Ramen operates there.
This fight has been going on since the late 80's. The message now is the same as it was then: let the states that created the waste store the waste. The state of Nevada produces no nuclear waste. End of story.
For a change, there are many intellligent comments here today (JapaneseLady being the exception) on the Yucca Mountain issue. A quote from the news article highlighted by Atomikrabbit from bears repeating:
“You are correct. Yucca Mountain is the repository. The only problem is we can't enforce the law.”
We can't enforce the law??? WHY NOT?? That's the question I want answered.
Just like with many of the other games they play in Congress, we should demand all money wasted by Congress sitting around acting like children on a playground, debit the Congressional Retirement Account, not their Social Security Account for which they will be ineligible due to their Congressional Retirement Account pay being too high. Start taking from Congress as they have been doing from our grandchildren followed with a yearly audit by the IRS of every Congressperson, to include family members and overseas accounts and we, as a nation, will start making progress. They have hit us where it hurts, it is time we start hitting back.
"they have a better chance containing it and preventing an accident where it is now." Really JR? How is that?
How is it safer for the next 500,000 years in San Onofre rather than under Yucca Mountain?
Or at New Hill, NC (20 miles SW of Raleigh, NC)--how is that safer than 1000 feet beneath a desert Mountain where no one lives and the water table is another 1000 feet below that? Where there exists one of the world most well guarded, restricted and defended testing grounds..with military and security forces monitoring the approaches and air space 24/7?
You think that maintaining that kind of security at 140 places is the way to go..even though we've blown up 1021 nuclear devices near the proposed repository?
Insanity.
Translation 4
In 20007, Toshiba created nuclear reactor for the garage. Micro Nuclear reactor, they call. 20 ft by 6 ft. 200 KW power.
It has new kind of nuclear waste compact system this year.
About Toshiba. It had been owned by Mitsui financial organization for many many years, way before Sony became Sony. Mitsui owns Yasuda Banking system. yasuda owns Ono Banking System. Ono is from one of emperors a long time ago. Ono created Yoko Ono. She was a classmate of Emperor Heian. Of cause the Emperor went to boys division and she went to girls dividision. Segregated Japan. Even Gen. MacArthur couldn't change. Only he could do to female in Japan was to stop selling girls to South by poverty strucken Northern Japan such as Fukushima, Miyagi, etc. Mitsui and Mitsubishi, Hitachi, etc created factories there so people could obey General MacArthur's suggestion. Toshiba hired 2 female PhD Engineers a few years ago, They created glass-less 3D TV. Maybe Toshiba hire female scientists now that it created 21st Century gadgets?
Alvinjh... I don't, but it's already there and they have a better chance containing it and preventing an accident where it is now.
Translation 3.
Obama administration is seeking to help Mongolia become a long time nuclear waste deposit site for Japan, USA, & United AE. to build a long time spent fuel repository. Some politicians urge Yucca as long time depository but Yucca has disadvantage than Mongolian underground. A Mongolian government delegations will visit USA this summer. (Idaho, etc.) US Government deny it talked about CFS, etc. Russia etc are anxious to talk with Mongolia so that United AE will side with Russia. next is Toshiba's new creation (not new, but we don;t have here)
Translation 2.'
Re: CFS ... Comprehensive Fuel Suppply
The letter was circulated within Obama administration, The CFS project has been publicized across the world. Uranium & the reprocessing of spent fuel can be directed to both military and civilian purposes. Japan has reprocessing plant in Rokka City in Aomori Prefecture.
Many people think Japan takes advantage of low income country of Mongolia.