The Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition (NWSC) commended the Department of Energy’s initial selections for its Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus initiative, but still wants the agency to do more to ensure that a permanent repository can be secured.
On July 28, DOE announced that Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah were on a shortlist of states in consideration for hosting an innovation campus. The five states have signed a memorandum of understanding with DOE, but only three will be selected.
NWSC said in a July 30 press release that DOE’s innovation campus is a collaborative gateway towards potentially handling nuclear waste as spent fuel disposal facilities could be included at each hub.. However, the ad hoc national coalition of state utility regulators and others said sustained engagement with states, tribes and other stakeholders is needed.
“The success of any initiative involving used fuel storage, transport, and disposal will depend on a transparent and collaborative process that respects state, tribal, and local interests and provides clarity regarding plans for meeting the federal government’s long-term commitments,” Stacey Paradis, NWSC vice chair, said in the release.
NWSC said that DOE should establish a national strategy that addresses “interim storage, transportation, examination of the role for reprocessing/recycling, and permanent geologic disposal of used fuel from both operating and shutdown commercial nuclear power plants,” according to its release.
The coalition also favors formation of a long-discussed organization, independent of DOE, that would be solely focused on nuclear waste management. NWSC wants a re-established dedicated nuclear waste office within DOE.