Nuclear waste review board to discuss Savannah River Site

Sep 17 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Meg Mirshak The Augusta Chronicle, Ga.

 

Spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste storage and processing at Savannah River Site is the topic of a meeting next month by a federal agency that reviews U.S. Department of Energy programs.

The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will meet in Augusta to discuss issues related to waste storage at L-Basin, alternatives for dry storage, processing of spent fuel and the aging facilities involved in these operations, according to a news release.

The board also will discuss vitrification of highly radioactive waste, storage of vitrified waste, production rates for storage canisters and plans for a new vitrified waste storage facility.

The meeting will be from 8 a.m. to about 5:20 p.m.at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center, 2 10th St.

The board was created in 1987 to review the technical and scientific validity of DOE activities related to nuclear waste. Board members, who are appointed by the president, report findings, conclusions and recommendations to Congress and the secretary of Energy.

No specific issue prompted the meeting; rather, it is the third meeting at DOE sites as the agency prepares a report on spent nuclear fuel, said Karyn Severson, the director of External Affairs. The board also has visited the Hanford site near Richland, Wash., and Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho, she said.

"There are no issues at SRS that prompted the board's visit. The board has not visited SRS in a while," she said.

The meeting in Augusta will be open to the public, and a public comment period will be held at the end of the day. A detailed agenda will be available the week before the meeting, according to the news release.

chronicle.augusta.com

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