Science to compliance: The WIPP success story
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeast New Mexico has been studied as a transuranic waste repository for the past 23 years. During this time, an extensive site characterization, design, construction, and experimental program was completed to provide in-depth understanding of the dominant processes that are most likely to influence the containment of radionuclides for 10,000 years. The success of the program, however, is defined by the regulator in the context of compliance with performance criteria, rather than by the in-depth technical understanding typical of most scientific programs. The WIPP project was successful in making a transformation from science to compliance by refocusing and redirecting programmatic efforts toward the singular goal of meeting regulatory compliance requirements while accelerating the submittal of the Compliance Certification Application (CCA) by two months from the April 1994 Disposal Decision Plan (DDP) date of December 1996, and by reducing projected characterization costs by more than 40%. This experience is unparalleled within the radioactive waste management community and has contributed to numerous lessons learned from which the entire community can benefit.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 650095
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-97-2708C; CONF-980516-; ON: DE98001311; BR: EW3155010; TRN: 98:010003
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1998 international high-level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 11-14 May 1998; Other Information: PBD: 14 Nov 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
WIPP Compliance Certification Application calculations parameters. Part 1: Parameter development
Proposed Changes to Simplify Review of the Next WIPP Compliance Re-certification Application