Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition - May 18, 2006

Nearly four years ago, Congress overwhelmingly ratified the President’s February 15, 2002, recommendation to proceed with licensing and development of a permanent repository for the nation’s civilian and defense nuclear waste disposal at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. One would have thought that the repository was on its way to being completed. This is not the case. Due to the lack of annual funding for the civilian nuclear waste disposal program (Program) enacted by Congress, and it’s lack of will to support its own legislation, this Program has become a political game for those that would much rather see spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) stranded indefinitely across the nation at our ratepayers expense. Congress has an opportunity to pass comprehensive legislation that enhances the management and disposal of SNF and HLRW, ensure protection of public health and safety and ensure the territorial integrity and security of the permanent repository. Moreover, this legislation includes a provision to reclassify nuclear waste fees as offsetting collections thus assuring ratepayer payments are being used for the license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, transportation infrastructure systems plan, construction and development of the Yucca Mountain permanent repository.

Since 1983, ratepayers from 41 states have paid more than $27 Billion, including interest, into the Nuclear Waste Fund (NWF) to fund the Department of Energy’s (DOE) establishment of a safe, timely, and cost-effective centralized storage and permanent disposal of SNF and HLRW.

The nation’s ratepayers who receive electric energy generated from nuclear power make more than $750 million per year in payments into the NWF, and with interest credits, this amount exceeds $1 billion annually. After deducting expenses to date, the fund now holds approximately $18 billion, including interest. Unfortunately, this account balance has been used to support other programs and camouflage the Federal deficit rather than for the development of a permanent repository. Consequently, more than 50,000 metric tones of SNF and HLRW are presently stranded at more than 100 commercial, federal and research facilities in 39 states.

Unless Congress comes to grips with the intent of passing comprehensive legislation to reform the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, amended (NWPA) in this session, the Program will continue to falter.

Many members of Congress have already been called upon by the opposition to ignore their own state’s interest. A failure by Congress to support comprehensive legislation that reforms the NWPA will keep SNF and HLRW stranded indefinitely in their state. It is vitally important that the leadership in Congress fast track legislation NWSC Press Release Page Two – May 18, 2006

for the continued progress of the permanent repository. While the Program continues to face complex challenges, passage of legislation will allow the Program to remain viable and ultimately succeed.

Legislation has already been introduced by the opposition for the DOE to take title of SNF at commercial nuclear power plants. Their bill proposes stranding fuel indefinitely throughout the nation while the nation’s ratepayers continue to pay in perpetuity into the NWF. It is vitally important that members of Congress place their own state’s interest first. Taking title of and stranding SNF and HLRW indefinitely throughout the nation is not an acceptable option. And, the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, an advanced recycling technology that will not be available for the next 50 to 60 years, does not diminish in any way the need for, or the urgency of, a geologic permanent repository at Yucca Mountain. Under Section 160 (b) of the NWPA, the Secretary will report to the President and Congress between 2007 and 2010 on the need for a second repository. The DOE has already stated that they would start with the two-dozen candidate sites that they looked at the first time. Those members of Congress that oppose reform of the NWPA are supporting a short-term political issue. They are urged to take a long-term view for the best interests of their own state and our country by supporting the comprehensive bills introduced by Chairmen Pete Domenici and Joe Barton reforming the NWPA.

Continued procrastination on the Yucca Mountain permanent repository would have dire consequences to the nation’s electricity generation portfolio, and the environment. Nuclear power comprises 20% of our nation's base-load electric generating capacity and produces no controlled air pollutants, such as sulfur and particulates, or greenhouse gases. Generating electricity from commercial nuclear power plants in place of other more polluting energy sources means fewer dangerous emissions are released into our nation’s atmosphere.

The NWSC is comprised of 46 organizations in 26 states, including state regulators, state attorneys general, nuclear electric utilities and associate members working together to hold the Federal government accountable for its contractual and statutory obligations to remove spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive material from commercial nuclear power plants across the nation to interim storage and to a permanent repository.