After years of planning, the Yucca Mountain Project’s licensing application was submitted in June 2008 by the Department of Energy, (DOE). But by March 2010, DOE withdrew the license application, stating that the project is not workable and that there are better solutions to achieve a broader national consensus about spent fuel and nuclear waste storage.
One hundred miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, Yucca Mountain was chosen as the solution to the nuclear waste problem of tons of hazardous nuclear waste accumulating at commercial reactors in 33 states. Beginning in 1998, directed by Congress, the DOE was to store nuclear waste in this mountain.
Due to relentless opposition, the DOE was unable to meet the deadline. The goal of opening in 2017 was later delayed to 2020.
After this decision, the DOE reduced its Yucca Mountain Project staff and transferred excess property at lightening speed. “Several DOE officials told us that they had never seen such a large program with so much pressure to close down so quickly,” stated by the Government Accountability Office in a report.
The shut down was done in such haste, it could hinder the efforts to resurrect the plan if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the courts desires to, and that the DOE’s decision to terminate the project “was made for policy reasons, not technical or safety reasons,” stated the GAO.
Following the election of President Obama, after the decision was made to shut down the Yucca Mountain Project, the DOE announced plans set up a commission to study alternatives for handling nuclear waste. A preliminary report is scheduled to be issued in July and a final one in January 2012.
One hundred miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, Yucca Mountain was chosen as the solution to the nuclear waste problem of tons of hazardous nuclear waste accumulating at commercial reactors in 33 states. Beginning in 1998, directed by Congress, the DOE was to store nuclear waste in this mountain.
Due to relentless opposition, the DOE was unable to meet the deadline. The goal of opening in 2017 was later delayed to 2020.
After this decision, the DOE reduced its Yucca Mountain Project staff and transferred excess property at lightening speed. “Several DOE officials told us that they had never seen such a large program with so much pressure to close down so quickly,” stated by the Government Accountability Office in a report.
The shut down was done in such haste, it could hinder the efforts to resurrect the plan if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the courts desires to, and that the DOE’s decision to terminate the project “was made for policy reasons, not technical or safety reasons,” stated the GAO.
Following the election of President Obama, after the decision was made to shut down the Yucca Mountain Project, the DOE announced plans set up a commission to study alternatives for handling nuclear waste. A preliminary report is scheduled to be issued in July and a final one in January 2012.
