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Contents of the License Application On June 3, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) submitted a license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), seeking authorization to construct a high-level waste geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. For details, see the following documents and correspondence from DOE:
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Licensing a Nuclear Waste RepositoryThe future of Yucca Mountain:On March 5th, 2010 Department of Energy (DoE) filed a motion with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to withdraw the application to build and operate Yucca Mountain. About one year ago President Barack Obama cut all funding for the DoE's work towards realizing Yucca Mountain apart from answering questions from the NRC related to the license application. However, "President Obama is fully committed to ensuring that the nation meets our long-term storage obligations for nuclear waste," said Scott Blake Harris of the DoE. The route for this is to be the 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, nominated last month (Feb 2010). It is to evaluate fuel-cycle and disposal options, including the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, but will not touch on any siting concerns. Work for the group begins with its first meeting on 25-26 March and will continue until 2012. In June of 2008, the Department of Energy submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a Licensing application to consturct and operate a high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain Nevada.
This project has been controversial and fraught with delays attributed to short amounts of funding, complaints of inadequate scientific proof to support the geologic repository and strong opposition from the State of Nevada. President Barrack Obama administration has said administration Yucca Mountain is unsuitable and new directions for nuclear waste disposal should be explored. Senator Harry Reid has fought hard to stop the nuclear waste project in Nevada. Proponents of the project have continued to argue for the safety of the proposed geologic radioactive waste site at Yucca Mountain. But conclusions to whether the site will continued to receive funding through the licensing process which could take up to 4 years is still uncertain. Esmeralda County's Nuclear Waste Repository Program continues to support the public while these issues are sorted out and are activity maintaining oversight of the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Oversight Program. Esmeralda County High Level Waste Hearing Motions and Pleadings In December of 2008, Esmeralda County joined with 3 other Nevada Counties as well as Nye to submit jointly held challenges to the Licence Application. These contentions and all the contentions submitted to date as well as the answer to these contentions from both the DOE and the NRC staff can be found at our Track Hearings website. Before the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can construct and operate a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, it must first obtain a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent agency of the federal government. The license application is the formal document an applicant submits to the NRC to present proposed activities. It also documents the safety analyses. The NRC evaluates an applicant's proposed activities and safety analyses by reviewing the license application. The license is issued in two stages. The first is a construction authorization. The second phase is a license to receive and possess waste. Website to track the hearings and schedule. The license application will address the NRC’s Yucca Mountain Review Plan, which identifies areas of review, review methods, and acceptance criteria that the NRC will use in its review and evaluation of the application. When the NRC accepts the license application for technical review, the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) will initiate a proceeding that includes public hearings. During the proceeding, DOE will address contentions (points of disagreement with DOE’s license application) submitted to the Board by parties. Potential parties include the NRC, the DOE, the state of Nevada, and affected units of local government or parties whose interests may be affected by the proceeding. If construction authorization is granted, DOE will begin initial construction of emplacement tunnels and surface facilities. Before completing construction, DOE will update its application for a license to receive and possess waste, as required by NRC regulations. On June 3, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) submitted a license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), seeking authorization to construct a high-level waste geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. For details, see the following documents and correspondence from DOE:
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More Information
EPA's Laws & Regulations on Yucca Mountain Elements of the License Application Nuclear Waste Policy dilemma - the first fifty years The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued the Yucca Mountain Final Review Plan in July of 2003 NUREG-1804, Final Rev. 2 (PDF - 1.76 MB) . This is the plan the NRC will use to guide the review of the expected DOE licenses application to construct and operate a high level nuclear waste geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. A draft version of the plan was released in March 2002, and public comments were invited during a 5-month public comment period that ended August 12 of 2002. The NRC staff also held three public meetings in Nevada on the draft plan to solicit comments. Approximately 1000 comments were received. These comments were addressed and the final review plan was issued in July of 2003. The DOE has announced their licenses application submittal to NRC is expected in 2008 (schedule). Dockets - A docket is a publicly available collection of documents that federal agencies use in making a particular regulatory decision. Dockets typically include technical documents, letters, minutes of meetings, comments submitted during the comment period, and other materials. Edocket at the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions website. Electronic Reading Room |
