Yucca mountain consists of alternating layers of this tuff from an extinct volcano. Concerns about government bullying and safety were the top reasons for those opposing the house yucca bill the recent nevada independent article1 illustrates that articles author, and those members of congress who were polled in an effort to understand why they had voted against passage of the nuclear waste. Sections 2 and 3 discuss the rationales for the planned tests and analyses, and present details of the plans themselves beyond those described in the scp. Reid keeps new yucca mountain funding at bay reid keeps new yucca mountain funding at bay comments, state of nevada. Doe terminated the yucca mountain project in 2010, and the nrc suspended. The site is isolated from concentrations of human population and human activity. Yucca mountain documents now publicly available in a new. Geological survey usgs on the department of energys doe yucca mountain project. The basin and range geodetic network bargen continuous gps network has been densified around yucca mountain, southern nevada, to help produce seismic hazard estimates for the proposed nuclear waste facility.
Sections 1, 4, and 5 are drawn from the scp and related yucca mountain project documents, and show the study in the context of the total site characterization program. July 26, 2016 eureka county comment letter to the u. May 10, 2018 a look at the attempt to establish yucca mountain in nevada as a site for a nuclear waste repository. But alas, the yucca mountain project was shut down before colorchanging cats could see the light of day.
Monthly status report activities related to yucca mountain. Us waste storage development hinges on political push nov 2, 2015 the us nuclear industry must mobilize political support on capitol hill for commercial consolidated interim storage facilities cisfs as developers look to demonstrate the stand alone value of their facilities alongside the muchdelayed yucca mountain project, leading industry. Eyeing yucca mountain for nuclear waste dump, again cbs news. National environmental policy act nepa and the nuclear waste policy act. Pdf the reclamation program for the yucca mountain project. Top 10 facts about yucca mountain nuclear energy institute. It does not address all of the issues associated with permanent disposal of snf, but rather focuses. The project, which began in the 1980s, has been beset by delays. Yucca mountain project, nv nv oak ridge operations office cincinnati operations office, cincinnati, ohio. Nuclear regulatory commission monthly status report activities related to the yucca mountain licensing action report for september 2015. Yucca mountain opposition to be focus at las vegas conference.
Yucca mountain is old formed about 12 million years ago and geologically stable. This approach provides the same protection regarding yucca mountain that exists elsewhere in the country for other waste disposal projects. When testing found problems, including more water than anticipated, then the government backed away from that promise. France and britain average 650 shipments per year, considerably more than the average of approximately 175 annual shipments currently contemplated for the yucca mountain. A special features section with facts, figures and additional detail. The future of the yucca mountain project in nevadaoriginally designated for permanent storage of nuclear wasteis uncertain. Congressional districts potentially affected by shipments.
With further study, yucca mountain may be judged to be an adequate site for the disposal of nuclear waste, but a project of this importance, which has gone on for 20 years, should not go forward until the relevant scientific issues have been thoughtfully addressed. The project office should document, described in step 2, the design control process and quality assurance that were in place and governed 1 the development of. Yucca is does largest single project, and the most technically complex. Black mountain research 1021 2015 congressional districts potentially affected by shipments to yucca mountain, nevada.
Located in the great basin, yucca mountain is east of the amargosa desert, south of the nevada test and training range and in the nevada national security site. In february 2010, the president proposed eliminating funding for the project, and in march 2010. On march 3, 2010, the doe filed a motion with the nrc atomic safety and licensing board to withdraw with prejudice its application for a permanent geologic repository at yucca mountain. Department of energys environmental impact statement for a geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and highlevel radioactive waste at yucca mountain, nye county, nevada. The yucca mountain project has not only been the subject of intense scientific and. Yucca mountain is located approximately 90 miles northwest of las vegas. The yucca mountain nuclear waste repository, as designated by the nuclear waste policy act amendments of 1987, is a proposed deep geological repository storage facility within yucca mountain for spent nuclear fuel and other highlevel radioactive waste in the united states. Environmental radiation protection standards for yucca mountain. Yucca proponents want you to believe yucca mountain has already been approved and that there is no alternative to the disposal of nuclear waste in yucca s fatally flawed, porous geology. A 12minute video on the construction of the yucca mountain project s 5.
Pdf isotopic studies of yucca mountain soil fluids and. The nevada legislature passed two resolutions expressing adamant opposition to the repository coming to yucca mountain. Nuclear regulatory commission monthly status report activities related to the yucca mountain licensing action report for november 2015. The 2015 2016 survey questions can be found in appendix a. View archival yucca mountain documents that were previously posted on the website for the office of civilian radioactive waste management. Idaho, and at the west valley demonstration project site.
Department of energys doe yucca mountain project ymp is a scientific. Yucca mountain science and engineering report department of. Department of energy how the repository will protect people and the environment the yucca mountain site is located in a remote area of the mojave desert in nye county, nevada, about 90 miles northwest of las vegas. The case for and against the obama administrations decision, in 2010, to stop work on a deep geological repository at yucca mountain in nevada marked an important turn in the long, troubled history of efforts to find a safe and permanent way to dispose of americas spent nuclear fuel and. For more than a decade starting in 1994, the doe said that it would approve or deny the yucca mountain nuclear waste repository project based on the ability of the geology to isolate the waste. Mar, 2019 overview yucca mountain is a ridge line composed of tuff compressed volcanic ash in nevada, about 100 miles northwest of las vegas, not far from the california border. Arc2007d254004404 a brief history of the yucca mountain project iii abstract much hope was placed on the yucca mountain project. Projects, on nureg2184, referred to hereafter as the 2015 draft supplement. Jun 02, 2011 republican lawmakers want to revive a planned underground nuclear waste deposit that was scrapped by the obama administration, stirring up the decadeslong controversy surrounding nevadas yucca. Debate resumes in las vegas about nevada nuclear dump idea 16 september 2015, byken ritter the debate resumed tuesday in nevada about the possibility of radioactive contamination of the. Background on june 16 2008, the department of energy. The purpose of the yucca mountain project is to comply with the nuclear waste policy act of 1982 and develop a national site for spent nuclear fuel and highlevel radioactive waste storage. Nuclear regulatory commission nrc requested public comment on nureg2184, the nrc staffs draft supplement to the u.
To many, it seemed the only viable solution for the final storage of spent nuclear fuel that has been in temporary. Debate resumes in las vegas about nevada nuclear dump idea. Yucca mountain is a mountain in nevada, near its border with california, approximately 100 miles 160 km northwest of las vegas. Yucca mountain archival documents from the former office of civilian radioactive waste management. May 01, 2017 nye county commissioner dan schinhofen spoke to news 46 today about his feeling on the yucca mountain nuclear waste repository and the recent meetings being held in washington dc. Nuclear regulatory commission monthly status report activities related to the yucca mountain licensing action report for october 2015. Department of energy doe draft environmental impact statements related to a proposed geologic repository at yucca mountain, nevada pdf 6k updated monday, january 14, 2008 state of nevada yucca mountain comments from the nevada congressional delegation pdf 611k. Churchill county high school students completed survey questions by phone and face to face interviews. Since 1983, the department of energy doe has spent billions of dollars to evaluate the yucca mountain site for potential use as a nuclear waste repository.
The most studied real estate on the planet report to the chairman. The department of energy doe is working to obtain a license from the nuclear regulatory commission nrc to construct a nuclear waste repository at yucca mountain in nevada. March 24, 2015, criticizing does plan for a defenseonly nuclear waste repository as a way to. Nevada strongly opposes the yucca mountain project, citing excessive water. A look at the attempt to establish yucca mountain in nevada as a site for a nuclear waste repository. Final environmental impact statement the proposed action addressed in this final eis is to construct, operate and monitor, and eventually close a geologic repository at yucca mountain in southern nevada for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and highlevel radioactive waste currently in storage or projected to be generated at. In this context, pursuing a repository at yucca mountain offers the only legally. The making of an underground laboratory included on this dvd. Governor sandoval noted that doe does not possess the land and water rights necessary to receive a construction authorization. One of the project managers supervisors told us she was astonished to find that an saic official, while on official trips with the yucca mountain project manager, would do trivial tasks while her staff went unsupervised.
First, we believe it is important to present factual information on yucca mountain, as opponents have made every effort to disassemble and erase its outstanding research record from the pages of history since the obama administration terminated the project in 2011. Fact sheet 2018 timeline for the yucca mountain project. Update on yucca mountain repository and transportation. If youve asked that question before, youre not alone. The site has been targeted for development as a burial site for the nations most highly radioactive waste since the 1980s, but it has been vigorously opposed by people in all 50 states. This report responds to step 1 of that letter, as quoted below. Yucca mountain backers of stalled project join trump. In a 2008 campaign speech in las vegas, president obama promised to find some place other than right here at yucca mountain for the nations nuclear waste. Nevadas opposition to trump administration efforts to revive the yucca mountain nuclear waste project will be underscored tuesday at a las vegas conference on radioactive waste where government. In 2004, gao raised concerns that persistent quality assurance problems could further delay the project. Yucca mountain the most studied real estate on the planet. The only question is when, and at what cost to taxpayers and ratepayers. State of nevada nevada calls for sandia to be investigated, suspended from yucca mountain project for putting schedule over safety pdf 102k state of nevada petition for an independent investigation and suspension of sandia national laboratories from further work on the yucca mountain project pdf 2. The yucca mountain nuclear waste repository, as designated by the nuclear waste policy act.
Let me emphasize from the outset how seriously usgs takes this situation. Yucca mountain is a ridge line composed of tuff compressed volcanic ash in nevada, about 100 miles northwest of las vegas, not far from the california border. Additional yucca mountain license applicationrelated documents are available through the nuclear regulatory. The institute for energy and environmental research ieer, a scientific institution with expertise in nuclear waste management and related issues, published an alternative plan for the short and longterm management of highly radioactive waste in 1999. Yucca mountain project proponents for restarting the licensing process stress that the nwpa is still the law of the land and point out that congress has shown no inclination to adopt a new approach. Since 2009, the obama administration and doe have taken a number of steps directed toward terminating the yucca mountain project. The purpose of the yucca mountain project is to comply with the nuclear waste policy. Yucca mountain has been selected as the site for the department of energys doe. This report focuses on the current situation with spent nuclear fuel storage in the united states. To many, it seemed the only viable solution for the final storage of spent nuclear fuel that has been in temporary storage for years at doe sites and national laboratories across the complex. Yucca mountain, nevada, has been selected by the united states to be evaluated as a potential site for the development of a geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high. Yucca mountain doe, pentagon considering new uses for nev. November 10, 2015 eureka county comments on draft supplement to eis for yucca mountain repository nureg2184, august 2015 docket id nrc 20150051 pdf 3 pages eureka county january 02, 20 scoping comments on proposed draft eis on waste confidence decision eureka county nuclear waste program eureka county.
Yucca mountain archival documents department of energy. State of utah the state of utahs comments on the u. Update on yucca mountain repository and transportation impacts robert j. On april 23, 2015, the national transportation stakeholders forum hosted a webinar on the nrcs yucca mountain ser. Geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and highlevel radioactive waste at yucca mountain, nye county, nevada the proposed action addressed in this final eis is to construct, operate and monitor, and eventually close a geologic repository at yucca mountain in southern nevada for. The ngl has been processing data from this network since installation in may 1999. The yucca mountain repository is designed to provide a permanent solution for managing nuclear waste, minimize the uncertainty of future waste safety, and enable doe to begin fulfilling its legal obligation under the nuclear waste policy act to take custody of.
The alternatives to storing nuclear waste at yucca mountain. The rock at yucca mountain, called tuff, is composed of volcanic ash and. Abbreviations national telecommunications and information. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you on behalf of the u. Yucca mountain project the united states currently.
According to a highranking official at argonne national laboratory, the. In february 2010, the president proposed eliminating funding for the project, and in march 2010, doe filed a. It is the site of the yucca mountain nuclear waste repository, which is currently identified by congressional law as the nations spent nuclear waste storage facility. States potentially affected by shipments to yucca mountain, nevada. Pursuant to a congressional request, gao investigated allegations of conflicts of interest at the department of energys doe yucca mountain project, focusing on whether. Tbm tunneling on the yucca mountain project by james p. Isotopic studies of yucca mountain soil fluids and carbonate pedogenesis. The site has been targeted for development as a burial site for the nations most highly radioactive waste since the 1980s, but it has been vigorously. Yucca mountain science and engineering report describes the results of scientific and engineering studies of the yucca mountain site, the waste forms to be disposed, the repository and waste package designs, and the results of the most recent assessments of the longterm performance of the potential repository. Us waste storage development hinges on political push. Draft supplement to eis for yucca mountain repository nureg2184, august 2015 docket id nrc 20150051 pdf, 100 page state of nevada. Yucca mountain project esf title i design control process. Halstead office of the governor nevada agency for nuclear projects nevada legislature committee on highlevel radioactive waste. Apr 09, 2015 eyeing yucca mountain for nuclear waste dump, again.
Yucca mountain, the project to permanently store highlevel nuclear waste underground in southern nevada, has been considered dead since thenpresident obama defunded it in 2012. Aug 19, 2016 david mcintyre public affairs officer the nrc is flipping the switch today on its new lsn library making nearly 3. But yucca mountain s woes may not be a great tragedy, seeing as how the project would solve little over the long term. The congressional tour thursday comes with momentum building toward restarting the yucca mountain project.
This website is offered in order to shed light on the yucca mountain effort. In a 2004 report, gao raised concerns that persistent quality assurance problems could further delay the project. Congress, instead of allowing the standards and criteria in the act to disqualify a bad site, forced backfits to enable their chosen site to go forward by directing epa to write a sitespecific radiation standard for yucca and allowing coverup of data that could have. Written in downtoearth language, by an expert with key involvement in the yucca mountain project, this is a timely book for public.
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