April 15
The federal Department of Energy has announced it will delay closing
Yucca Mountain while lawsuits surrounding the decision to abandon the
nuclear waste repository are litigated.
"We are confident that we have the legal authority to withdraw the
application for the Yucca Mountain repository. However, the parties need
some time to prepare and the Court needs time to consider the issues,"
said Department of Energy Press Secretary Stephanie Mueller. "We are
proposing to halt temporarily any actions to shut down Yucca Mountain
simply to provide that time. As the Secretary [Steven Chu] has said
consistently, Yucca Mountain is not an option and he looks forward to
receiving the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission for the long
term management of our spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste."
The federal government was sued by the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners, who are seeking to suspend payments
into the fund the utilities said they believe were intended to support
the Yucca Mountain site.
Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at
330-865-6166 or
asmith-teutsch@crain.com
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