Although spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste can be safely stored in the interim, progress on a long-term geologic repository is “still a matter of urgency,” an independent review board said Friday.
If the federal government followed the recommendations provided by the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB) in its Friday report, the result would be a “robust, safe, and effective nuclear waste management capability for the nation, including laying the groundwork for a successful geologic repository,” according to a press release from the panel. The NWTRB is an independent review board established under the 1987 Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act to assess the scientific and technical validity of Department of Energy waste management efforts, the press release said.
The NWTRB report comes as the Joe Biden administration is signaling its intention to review options for the long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said at a White House press conference in April that such a review was forthcoming, but wouldn’t say when it would take place. Granholm has previously expressed support for a “consent based” approach for siting a geologic repository.
As it stands, there’s currently no permanent repository for the around 90,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel currently stranded at reactor sites across the country. The moribund Yucca Mountain site has been in development limbo since the Obama administration pulled its funding in 2011. Granholm and the Biden administration have said they oppose using the Nye County, Nev. site to store spent fuel.
