New Information from EPA - April 2007

Background on Proposed Facility at Yucca Mountain (2pp, 315 Kb)

Agency Roles in the Approval, Monitoring, and Operation of a Potential Yucca Mountain Repository (1pp, 454 Kb)

State of Nevada - State of Nevada Draft Yucca Mountain Environmental Impact Statement Comments

State Of Nevada Comments -- Office Of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Strategic Plan

The NRC reviews every aspect of the Project, which includes evaluating our scientific work and system performance. The formal NRC licensing process will involve external experts in the technical review that will occur when the NRC considers issuing licenses to construct and operate a repository.

Federal law also provides funds to state and local oversight groups and to groups of independent scientists to assure the accuracy of the Project's scientific methods and results.

For example, Congress created the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, an independent federal agency, to evaluate the technical and scientific validity of Project studies and findings. Twice a year, this Board reports its conclusions and recommendations to Congress and to the Secretary of Energy and points out concerns from outside parties.

Ten counties belong to what is known as the Affected Units of Local Government (AULG). This group are funded by the NEPA act through congress to do oversight on the construction and authorization of a high-level nuclear waste repository in Nevada. Nye County, Nevada is the siting county where Yucca Mountain and the proposed nuclear waste repository resides. This link contains an excerpt from the NEPA Act explaining the Provisions Participation of State Government, Affected Units of Local Government and Affected Indian Tribes. AULG. NRC 63.113. (5) Subpart C—Participation by State Government, Affected Units of Local Government, and Affected Indian Tribes § 63.61 Provision of information.

During the early eighties, the Department of Energy looked at many potential sites for a repository. Considering a wide range of criteria, the sites selected for further study were narrowed down to nine, then from nine to five, from five to three, and eventually from three to one – Yucca Mountain. (click to enlarge).

Repository Sites Considered In The United States

For example, one Department of Energy program examined areas underlain by crystalline rocks in 17 eastern and mid-western states.

In 1983, the U.S. Department of Energy selected nine candidate sites for the first geologic repository: Vacherie Dome, Louisiana (salt dome); Richton Dome, Mississippi (salt dome); Cyprus Creek Dome, Mississippi (salt dome); Deaf Smith County, Texas (bedded salt); Swisher County, Texas (bedded salt); Davis Canyon, Utah (bedded salt); Lavender Canyon, Utah (bedded salt); Yucca Mountain, Nevada (volcanic tuff); and Hanford, Washington (basalt). SOURCE: OCRWM DOE

The Nuclear Energy Institute

give the following information about Used Nuclear Fuel & High-Level Waste:

Nuclear Reactor Towers