DOE investigation says USGS studies of Yucca Mt. are sound

Washington (Platts)--6Jun2005

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) water infiltration studies of Yucca Mountain,
Nev. are technically sound, according to preliminary results of a DOE
investigation unveiled today. Still, John Arthur, deputy director of DOE's
Yucca Mountain repository project, told NRC officials the department would not
use those USGS studies, as is, during repository licensing proceedings.
Instead, the information will be replaced, redone, or remediated by outside
individuals and/or organizations, Arthur said during a quarterly NRC-DOE
meeting on the repository project. The scientific integrity of the work was
called into question in March after DOE and USGS revealed some USGS e-mails
that indicated at least one USGS scientist may have falsified quality
assurance documents associated with water infiltration studies at Yucca
Mountain. If licensed, a Yucca Mountain repository would be used to dispose of
70,000 metric tons of utility spent fuel and defense high-level waste.

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