Advertisement

If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)

ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCES TO C&EN

Environment

Congress Floats Nuclear Waste Bill

by Jeff Johnson
May 6, 2013 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 91, Issue 18

A draft proposal to manage high-level radio­active waste from commercial nuclear power plants and defense activities was released in late April by several members of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. The draft bill includes establishing a new federal agency to take over the Department of Energy’s role in managing the U.S. radioactive waste program. The new agency would be directed to build one or more consolidated interim storage sites. It would also be directed to begin the search for a final geological waste repository. The draft bill is intended to comply with recommendations by the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, a panel that President Barack Obama created after he canceled development work at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain geological repository. Under the proposal, waste shipments to temporary storage sites would cease if substantial progress is not being made on the permanent repository. The provision might assuage congressional concerns that the temporary sites will become de facto permanent sites.

Article:

This article has been sent to the following recipient:

0 /1 FREE ARTICLES LEFT THIS MONTH Remaining
Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need.