The first National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit kicks off this evening in Carlsbad, N.M., amid the region’s push for the establishment of new nuclear waste disposal facilities. Carlsbad is home to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and the three-day Summit comes as companies await the decision on the Department of Energy’s competition of the site’s management and operating contract for the site. Local officials have also been actively lobbying DOE and Congress in recent months for an expanded role for southeastern New Mexico in solving the nation’s nuclear waste dilemma. Supporters have launched an effort to establish the region as a model for the consent-based siting approach that the Administration’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future recommended to DOE and Congress earlier this year. This week local governments that own a parcel of land near Carlsbad on which they hope to establish an interim storage site plan to release a Request For Proposals aimed at two teams interested in developing and financing the site. On top of that effort, some are also pushing for new missions at WIPP, even suggesting that the salt repository could be expanded to take on high level waste.
A number of officials are expected to speak at the event, including New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez (R), former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.), New Mexico Environment Department Cabinet Secretary David Martin, and a host of politicians from southeastern New Mexico. All eyes will likely be on Martinez and Martin, as the New Mexico state officials have not yet fully endorsed new waste disposal missions, which is expected to be an important measure in the consent-based siting approach being developed by DOE. Domenici’s backing also comes as an important boost to the area, as the former Blue-Ribbon panel member has offered to help garner support for the region in Washington, D.C.
