Status of Yucca Mountain site characterization activities

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

OSTI ID:6968265

Gertz, C P ^[1]; Larkin, E L ^[2]

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1. Department 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 to determine if Yucca Mountain, Nevada, can safely isolate high-level nuclear waste for the next 10,000 yr. As mandated by Congress in 1987, DOE is studying the rocks, the climate, and the water table at Yucca Mountain to ensure that the site is suitable before building a repository {approximately} 305 m (1,000 ft) below the surface. Yucca Mountain, located 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, lies on the western edge of the Nevada Test Site. Nevada and DOE have been in litigation over environmental permits needed to conduct studies, but recent court decisions have allowed limited new work to begin. This paper examines progress made on the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) during 1991 and continuing into 1992, discusses the complex legal issues, and describes new site drilling work.

• OSTI ID: 6968265
• Report Number(s): CONF-920606--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 65
• 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
AIR QUALITY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROUND WATER
HABITAT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LAWSUITS
LEGAL ASPECTS
MAPPING
MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA
NEVADA TEST SITE
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
SAFETY
SEISMICITY
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
STATE GOVERNMENT
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WATER
YUCCA MOUNTAIN