Several interest groups this week asked key congressional committees to order the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite its generic standards for radioactive waste repositories.
Even though Congress and three successive presidents have opted not to permanently store waste in the congressionally approved Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada, it could still take five years or so for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rewrite its standards, the groups said.
Meanwhile, the EPA has said it would not rewrite the standard without explicit direction from Congress.
For those reasons, “[r]egardless of future policy direction for the U.S. [spent nuclear fuel
management program, refreshing the EPA’s generic geologic repository standard for public health and safety is essential to prevent unnecessary delays after Congress has chosen a path forward,” the groups wrote in the letter, dated Thursday, to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
The groups who signed the letter were:
- American Nuclear Society
- The Breakthrough Institute
- Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
- ClearPath Action
- Energy Communities Alliance
- Good Energy Collective
- Nuclear Innovation Alliance
- Third Way
- United States Nuclear Industry Council
The American Nuclear Society in August published a report essentially recommending that the Environmental Protection Agency make the standards for the failed Yucca Mountain deep-geologic repository in Nevada the standard for all proposed repositories, including other types of repositories such as deep boreholes that are currently held to other standards under U.S. law.
