March 25

The United States now has enough nuclear reactor waste to fill the proposed controversial Yucca Mountain repository that recently was killed.

That news comes with the release of a new report, "Principals for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors," this week that was signed by more than 170 groups concerned about the future of nuclear waste handling.

Another part of a warning this week is that the United States could be on required to pay "billions of dollars of additional penalties if the federal government fails to take waste from utilities," according to the groups that include the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.

The IEER says it "provides policy-makers, journalists and the public with understandable and accurate scientific and technical information on energy and environmental issues."

The report also said that "eleventh-hour agreements" signed by the Bush administration with 21 proposed nuclear reactor projects will add to the existing spent fuel program.

Nuclear waste continues to be stored on site at facilities as the country searches for a long-term solution.

Contact Waste & Recycling News senior reporter Jim Johnson at 937-964-1289 or jpjohnson@crain.com

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