The Nuclear Regulatory Commission told a court this week that it shouldn’t move forward with a case against the agency after it voted unanimously to affirm its decision to deny a minerals holding company’s request to reconsider objections to a proposed spent fuel storage facility.
NRC’s status update to the D.C. circuit court of appeals Thursday argued that the pause on a case filed by environmental watchdog groups shouldn’t proceed even after the agency decided Wednesday to toss objections by Fasken Land and Minerals, LLC to the proposed Holtec International consolidated interim storage facility.
The Wednesday afternoon vote via teleconference closes the book on Fasken Land and Minerals’ appeal to reopen agency proceedings on Holtec International’s proposed consolidated interim storage facility in southeastern New Mexico. All four current commissioners, including chairman Christopher Hanson, voted to affirm their previous decision.
The court proceedings were placed on hold April 21, pending the commission’s decision on Fasken’s appeal. The agency argued Thursday that since no license has been issued to Holtec, the proceedings aren’t yet closed and the pause should continue.
Meanwhile, Holtec’s proposed site is one step closer to licensing following the affirmation. An environmental impact statement, which the commission has said won’t be done until the summer, could be another major hurdle standing in the way of a federal license to build the facility.
