Discussing Solutions for Nuclear Waste

Kelsey Huber / June 23, 2010

The Obama administration’s rhetoric on nuclear energy has been promising.  Unfortunately, actions speak louder than words and his decision to attempt to kill the waste repository program at Yucca Mountain without a workable replacement speaks volumes. Not only has the nation spent nearly $10 billion on the project, but no technical or scientific justifications were provided.  The president and his administration excuse their decision by simply stating that it is “unworkable.”

To develop a replacement program for Yucca, the President appointed the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future to analyze the current state of nuclear waste disposal and put forth recommendations for consideration by 2012.  Yet the past failure of the government to prevent the current situation raises doubt about the ability of the Commission to solve the problem effectively.  How much will legislative red tape slow the process?  And will the next administration once again prove the devastating unpredictability of politics by sending researchers scurrying in an entirely new direction?  In order to discuss the Blue Ribbon Commission and the state of the nuclear renaissance, The Heritage Foundation held two panels of nuclear experts on June 9^th.

The day began with a presentation by Tim Frazier of the Blue Ribbon Commission who recognized that the current nuclear waste disposal process cannot last indefinitely.  Frazier explained, “The question is; while we handle figuring out where the new geological repository is going to be, is there a better way to handle spent nuclear fuel?” (more…)