Project
Overview
The U.S. Department of Energy began studying Yucca Mountain, Nevada, in 1978
to determine whether it would be suitable for the nation's first long-term
geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.
Currently stored at 131 sites around the nation, these materials are a result of
nuclear power generation and national defense programs.
On July 23, 2002, President Bush signed House Joint Resolution 87, allowing
the DOE to take the next step in establishing a repository in which to store the
United State's nuclear waste. The Department of Energy is currently in the
process of preparing an application to obtain the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
license to proceed with construction of the repository.
In 1982, in accordance with the Nuclear Waste
Policy Act (NWPA), Congress made the Department of Energy (DOE)
responsible for the development of a geologic repository for the safe
disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
The DOE then selected nine locations for
consideration as potential sites. These sites were studied and the
preliminary studies were reported in 1985. Based on these reports, the
list was reduced to three sites in 1986. The three sites were Hanford,
Washington; Deaf Smith County, Texas; and Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
Congress amended the NWPA in 1987 and directed the
DOE to study only Yucca Mountain in Nevada. In July 2002 Congress
approved the development of a repository at Yucca Mountain and President
Bush signed House Joint Resolution 87, allowing the DOE to proceed in
establishing a safe repository in which to store our nation’s nuclear
waste.
Project Oversight
Federal law provides funds to state and local oversight
groups and to groups of independent scientists to assure the accuracy of the
Project's s
cientific methods and results. Inyo County is an example of a
local oversight group.
Federal law makes the Yucca Mountain Project subject to external regulation by
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The NRC reviews every aspect of the Project, which includes evaluating the
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.
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.
