Disarmament Diplomacy

News Review

Concern over US Announcement on Nuclear Waste Repository

On February 15, President Bush gave his approval to the construction of a centralised US nuclear waste repository at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. In a letter to Congress, Bush stated: "Proceeding with the repository programme is necessary to protect public safety, health, and the nation's security." Under the plan - which the Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn (Republican) has denounced as a political betrayal by the President - the underground site is scheduled to open in 2010, designed to receive radioactive material from over 100 nuclear facilities, both military and commercial, across the country. There are currently 131 waste sites, all above-ground and none designed to be permanent, in 39 states. Together, the sites house over 40,000 tons of material, including hundreds of tons of plutonium.

The President's decision - requiring Congressional approval, and certain to face numerous legal challenges - was based on a February 14 recommendation by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. An Energy Department statement noted that there are "compelling national interests that require development of a repository, including energy and national security, homeland security, nuclear non-proliferation policy, secure disposal of nuclear waste, and ongoing efforts to clean up the environment at former nuclear weapons production sites."

One of the most piercing and widely reported critiques of the decision came from Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) in Maryland. According to Dr. Makhijani (February 15):

"Yucca Mountain is not a suitable site for a nuclear waste repository. This site is crisscrossed with geologic faults; official computer models used to assess site suitability are riddled with uncertainties; and federal regulations have been changed or set aside several times to accommodate it, thus abandoning protections for drinking water. ... The Bush administration's claim that Yucca Mountain will improve 'homeland security' is disingenuous and simply incorrect. On the one hand, the administration says it wants to advance the goal of securing spent fuel against terrorist attacks by consolidating it all at one site. On the other hand, it is encouraging the re-licensing of existing power plants far beyond their current licenses, thus ensuring that dozens of sites will continue to operate with spent fuel pools. ... To reduce the risk of large-scale catastrophe in case of a terrorist attack, the spent fuel should be put in on-site or close-to-site subsurface dry storage casks... For the long term, no reasonable substitute for a deep geologic repository exists. But more basic research on various geologic settings is needed before sites can be scientifically examined."

Reports: A bad approach to nuclear waste, Washington Post, February 13; Secretary Abraham recommends Yucca Mountain site to President Bush citing 'sound science' and 'compelling national interests', US Energy Department News Release, PR-02-27, February 14; President Bush makes historic, but wrong, choice on nuclear waste, IEER Press Release, February 15; Nevada nuclear waste site affirmed, Washington Post, February 16; Nevada governor defends nuclear waste site, Reuters, February 18.

© 2002 The Acronym Institute.