ECA Advocates For Defense Waste Prioritization

Congress should prioritize the disposal of defense waste before commercial waste, the Energy Community Alliance said in a letter late last week to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders. The letter comes in response to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz’s announcement earlier this year that the Department of Energy would seek a separate track for disposing of defense waste, compared to previous plans to comingle it with commercial waste in the same repository. Following the announcement, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.) voiced his opposition to the de-comingling of the waste for fear of splitting DOE time and resources. The ECA argued that the defense waste, due to its age and finite supply, presents an easier option for disposal. “Our local communities want to see progress from the federal government on moving the high-level nuclear waste to a safe repository, and our communities that potentially want to host a nuclear waste interim facility want funding to analyze the potential of using their site for this mission,” ECA Chairman Chuck Smith said in the letter.  “Moving forward with the process will lead to lessons learned for subsequent repositories, including how to do consent-based siting and transportation planning.  It will allow EPA and NRC to begin to evaluate new regulatory requirements.  Most importantly, it can help rebuild trust and public acceptability. Finally, it will not impact the viability of Yucca Mountain.”