A Blue Ribbon Commission was named Friday to recommend what the nation should do not only with its spent commercial nuclear fuel but also weapons waste, such as the glassified high-level waste from Hanford's vitrification plant.
The waste was expected to go to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository until President Obama said last year that the Nevada site was not suitable. The nation has spent $10 billion to $12 billion over the past 25 years to study the site.
The commission will look at options for storing, processing and disposing of the waste, which are expected to include reprocessing commercial nuclear fuel that now is used just once in U.S. reactors.
The commission should consider "a broad range of technological and policy alternatives, and should analyze the scientific, environmental, budgetary, economic, financial and management issues, among others, surrounding each alternative it considers," said a memorandum from the president to Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
The president called for "building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country," during his State of the Union speech earlier this week.
The commission has been assigned to produce an interim report within 18 months and a final report in two years.
It will be led by Lee Hamilton, a former Indiana congressman, and retired Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, who was a national security adviser to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush.
They have a "record of tackling tough challenges in a thoughtful, comprehensive manner and building consensus among an array of interests," according to a DOE statement.
The 15 commission members include former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who the Tri-City Development Council had hoped would be appointed, said Gary Petersen, TRIDEC vice president of Hanford programs.
Domenici has broad knowledge not only of commercial nuclear waste but also an understanding of weapons complex waste, such as Hanford's, Petersen said.
Even if the decision is to reuse commercial nuclear waste, the nation still must have a plan for disposing of Hanford's high-level radioactive waste, he said. TRIDEC does not want that waste to stay at Hanford by default.
Petersen also was pleased with the appointment of Mark Ayers, the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department president. Ayers is well known by the local building trades community.
The list does not include any state or local government representatives, even though the Energy Communities Alliance, which includes the Hanford Communities, had asked for a seat at the table for a local government representative. The alliance wanted a local representative at the table because sites such as Hanford are at risk of becoming long-term storage sites for high-level radioactive waste.
The 15 commission members represent "a range of expertise and experience in nuclear issues, including scientists, industry representatives and respected former elected officials," according to DOE.
The full list is posted at energy.gov/news/8584.htm.
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Blue Ribbon Commission says U.S. should start looking for Yucca alternative
Blue Ribbon Commission says U.S. should start looking for Yucca alternative
WASHINGTON -- The United States should immediately start looking for an alternative to replace the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada, which cost an estimated
$15 billion but was never completed, a presidential commission said Thursday.
In its final report, the 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission recommended immediate efforts to develop at least one geologic disposal facility for long-term handling of nuclear waste. Any effort to site a disposal facility must have community support, it said.
The report also suggested building regional storage sites that would be open for up to 100 years while officials seek to complete a permanent burial site.
Temporary storage proposed for vit plant waste
Temporary storage proposed for vit plant waste
Hanford contractor officials are proposing a temporary storage system for Hanford's treated high-level radioactive waste that easily can be expanded, given uncertainties about the nation's plans for a national waste repository.
Washington River Protection Solutions formed an independent review team that is recommending a new Hanford building large enough to store as much high-level radioactive waste as the Hanford vitrification plant is expected to treat in a decade. But if needed, more vaults could be added.
The initial plans do not include a shipping facility. Given austere federal budget conditions, it makes sense to wait to add that when the nation is ready to ship the waste, said Tom Fletcher, Department of Energy acting assistant manager of the Hanford tank farms.
Panel urges handling Hanford waste
Panel urges handling Hanford waste
The possibility of disposing of Hanford's high-level radioactive waste while a solution continues to be worked out for spent commercial nuclear fuel was raised Thursday at a Senate hearing.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., questioned leaders of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future on its findings at a hearing before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. On Wednesday, Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., a candidate for governor, questioned commission leaders at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Environment and Economy.
The commission issued its final recommendation last week, calling for the nation to look for a location "by consensus" where a new national repository for high-level defense waste and used commercial fuel will be welcome. It also called for the development of storage sites to be used in the meantime.
Nuclear Regulation Commission allows Yucca closure to continue
Nuclear Regulation Commission allows Yucca closure to continue
WASHINGTON -- A divided Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday allowed the Obama administration to continue with plans to close the Yucca Mountain, Nev., nuclear waste repository, where Hanford waste was planned to be sent.
The commission split, 2-2, on whether to uphold or reject a decision by an independent nuclear licensing board. The board voted last year to block the Department of Energy from withdrawing its application for Yucca Mountain. The licensing board said the government failed to make a scientific case for why the application should be withdrawn.
Despite the split vote, the NRC said in an order Friday that the licensing board should continue steps to close out work on Yucca Mountain by the end of the month, citing "budgetary limitations."
Get job done at Hanford, DOE undersecretary says
Get job done at Hanford, DOE undersecretary says
KENNEWICK -- The Department of Energy undersecretary newly responsible for Hanford environmental cleanup has a bias for getting the job done, he said Wednesday after his first tour of the nuclear reservation.
That's the case whether it's starting operations at the Hanford vitrification plant or reusing un-needed Hanford land, said Thomas D'Agostino, the undersecretary of nuclear security.
He was in the Tri-Cities to speak at the 2011 Integrated Safety Management Champions Workshop in Kennewick, which drew 1,200 people from DOE projects across the nation. During his three-day visit he also toured Hanford and met with DOE Hanford leadership and staff and with community members.
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