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CRS-20
does not open before 2010. The nuclear industry has predicted that future damages
could reach tens of billions of dollars if the federal disposal program fails altogether.
The Administration's proposed nuclear waste legislation is intended to remove
some of the obstacles to opening Yucca Mountain and to remove the lack of
permanent waste disposal as an obstacle to licensing new nuclear power plants. The
House and Senate Appropriations Committees in the 109th Congress urged that the
federal government provide interim storage of spent nuclear fuel pending a
permanent solution, but that option has proven highly controversial in the past.
The Administration's proposed Global Nuclear Energy Partnership would open
the door for spent fuel reprocessing as a long-term option for handling nuclear waste.
Reprocessing (or recycling) proponents have long contended that direct disposal of
spent fuel - as currently planned - would waste a potentially vast energy resource
and that reprocessing could reduce the long-term hazard posed by nuclear waste.
However, the United States has not pursued commercial reprocessing since the
1970s, because of concerns over nuclear nonproliferation and costs. Heated reaction,
both pro and con, to the Administration's latest initiative indicates that the
controversy has not receded in the meantime.
Legislation
H.R. 2282 (Schmidt)
Nuclear Waste Storage Prohibition Act. Prohibits DOE from using GNEP funds
to store nuclear waste at any site where reprocessing facilities are not operating or
under construction. Introduced May 10, 2007; referred to Committee on Energy and
Commerce.
H.R. 2641 (Visclosky)
Energy and Water Development Appropriations for FY2008. Includes funding
for DOE nuclear waste program and GNEP. Reported as an original measure by the
Committee on Appropriations June 11, 2007 (H.Rept 110-185) following committee
markup June 6, 2007. Passed House July 17, 2007, by a vote of 312-112. Approved
by Senate Appropriations Committee June 28, 2007 (S.Rept. 110-127).
S. 37 (Domenici)
Nuclear Waste Access to Yucca Act. Permanently withdraws Yucca Mountain
site from public use, authorizes nuclear waste interim storage facilities at Yucca
Mountain, repeals the Yucca Mountain capacity limit, and makes other changes in
the nuclear waste program. Introduced May 23, 2007; referred to Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources.
S. 784 (Reid)/H.R. 4062 (Matheson)
Federal Accountability for Nuclear Waste Storage Act of 2007. Requires
commercial nuclear power plants to transfer spent fuel from pools to dry storage
casks and then convey title to the Secretary of Energy. Senate bill introduced March
6, 2007; referred to Committee on Environment and Public Works. House bill
introduced November 1, 2007; referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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Holt, Mark. Civilian Nuclear Waste Disposal, report, November 26, 2007; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc808084/m1/23/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.