Yucca Mountain: Policy, progress, and politics

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6667963

Gertz, C P ^[1]; Larkin, E L ^[2]

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1. Dept. of Energy, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
2. Science Applications International Corp., Las Vegas, NV (United States)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management is continuing its studies of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to determine the mountain's suitability for isolating high level nuclear waste. As mandated by the Congress of the United States in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act as amended in 1987, DOE is studying the rocks, climate, and water table at Yucca to ensure the site is suitable before building a repository 305 meters underground. To maintain a balanced and diversified energy mix, which includes the use of nuclear energy, the environmental burden of disposing of the radioactive spent fuels needs to be solved. Challenges faced by DOE in characterizing Yucca Mountain are numerous: adamant opposition by elected leaders of Nevada; intense media attention from newspapers, television, and radio; complex science, particularly in the specialized branches of geology; detailed procedures and record keeping; and an uncertain budget from year to year.

• OSTI ID: 6667963
• Report Number(s): CONF-921102--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 66
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053001 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects-- Siting-- (1992-)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC RELATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SITE SELECTION
STORAGE
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
YUCCA MOUNTAIN