Certainly, there's a strong feeling that if Yucca Mountain goes, so goes the future of nuclear energy in general. One of the issues plaguing the fate of such power is where to store spent radioactive fuel. Those in the industry say that on-site storage was only meant to be temporary and that a permanent site is ultimately the answer. And Yucca, with its dry heat and isolation, is the ideal spot. That's, of course, a stark contrast to how those in Nevada feel, who argue that the risk of any radioactive waste escaping and endangering the local communities is too great.

Most recently, the General Accountability Office has weighed in. The congressional watchdog agency says that the U.S. Department of Energy is faced with quality assurance matters and is unable to submit a full-proof application for license. The department had planned to turn in such an application in 2004 but has been derailed because of lingering questions about scientific and engineering work. Now, it says that it is shooting for 2008 in which to hand in its application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

"I am convinced the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump will never be built because the project is mired in scientific, safety and technical problems," says Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid from Nevada.

Congress had approved in 2002 the permanent nuclear waste site that is located 90 miles from Las Vegas. The plans were to store 77,000 tons of spent fuel there, although a bill now pending in Congress would raise that limit to 132,000 -- something Reid said is dead even before it would hit the Senate floor. With all the court challenges and various delays, the soonest Yucca could open would be 2012. Some even say it might be 2020 -- if at all, and again, a potential dagger to a bright future for nuclear energy.

More than 55,000 tons of spent fuel at 72 separate sites is now awaiting possible transport to Yucca Mountain. The watchdog agency said that the project is beset with high turnover and that the Energy Department has yet to develop the management tools to solve issues in an effective manner.

The Bush administration takes issue with that negative assessment, noting that last year it drew up plans to redesign waste storage containers and appointed an independent scientific firm to monitor all progress. "This department remains committed to following our obligation under the law to license, construct and operate Yucca Mountain as the nation's permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel," says Craig Steven, a spokesman for the Energy Department.

Challenges Galore

Besides scientific and engineering challenges, even more lawsuits are pending -- the fourth now in effect. Nevada has just sued the Energy Department and alleged that the government is withholding documents. The state specifically wants to see a release of the draft application that it intends to submit to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The government is unwilling to release the 2004 application, noting that it has instead made public thousands of pages on the Internet and all relating to its Yucca project. Once the application is finalized and ultimately submitted -- 2008 is now the target -- it will be done in the full view of the American public, it says.

While the Energy Department says it won't let that lawsuit deter it from pursuing a permanent storage facility in Nevada, state officials there are pressing numerous officials including the president of the United States to comply with their wishes. Their argument: If you have nothing to fear, then let loose of the draft.

"The federal government is required by law to share its important Yucca information with the host state, and we are entitled to such information under the Freedom of Information Act as well," Nevada Attorney General George Chanos said in a statement.

Meantime, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is expected to decide on a different suit. In this case, Nevada is saying that the Energy Department has run afoul of environmental laws and abused its authority when it drew up its blueprint to transport the spent nuclear fuel to Yucca Mountain. At the same time, another state suit would forbid the project from using the area's ground water supplies.

Opponents of opening Yucca Mountain to nuclear waste deposits say that beyond the issues tied to public health there are also questions related to national security. Moving 77,000 tons of waste is a logistical nightmare that would involve 53,000 truck shipments or 10,000 rail shipments over 24 years.

"It is time to look at alternatives so we can safely store nuclear waste," says Sen. Reid. "Fortunately, the technology for a viable, safe and secure alternative is readily available and can be fully implemented within a decade if we act now. That technology is on-site dry cask storage. Dry casks are being safely used at 34 sites throughout the country right now. The Nuclear Energy Institute projects 83 of the 103 active reactors will have dry storage by 2050."

The Bush administration is fighting all the suits and has vowed to press on. In fact, the Energy Department is submitting legislation to Capitol Hill to raise the limit on the amount of nuclear waste that would be stored at Yucca Mountain to 132,000 tons. It's also asking lawmakers to allow the federal government the right to pre-empt state and local transportation laws in an effort to expedite the movement of the waste.

"This proposed legislation will help provide stability, clarity and predictability to the Yucca Mountain project," says Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, in a statement.

The president says that "sound science" is on its side and that it has the will to see the Yucca project through to its finish. But it is up against some strong opponents that include key congressional leaders. If the country decides that nuclear energy's prominence should grow, a national repository will get built.

For far more extensive news on the energy/power visit:  http://www.energycentral.com .

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