Kevin Kamps: Nuclear storage letter-writer rushed to judgment

Kevin Kamps  —  9/06/2008 7:16 am

Dear Editor:

A response ("Spent nuclear fuel storage not insurmountable problem," Aug. 29) to an earlier letter I wrote ("Atomic waste problem far from solved," Aug. 22) needs to be set straight.

The Department of Energy having submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a permit to construct and open the proposed Yucca Mountain Project says nothing about the site's suitability for a high-level radioactive waste repository. The statement "the site has been evaluated and found to meet the environmental/safety regulations for 1,000,000 years" betrays the respondent's rush to judgment.

The Department of Energy's studies at Yucca over the past 30 years have unearthed numerous geologic, hydrologic, seismic and volcanic risks. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's licensing proceeding has barely begun.

Nevada will file hundreds of legal contentions against the dump in a few months. Then NRC will take three to four years to pass judgment. One major problem: The Environmental Protection Agency has still not finalized radiation release regulations by which NRC can judge the merits.

Why is this proceeding even under way? The nuclear establishment in government and industry is pushing Yucca as far down the road as possible before the pro-dump Bush administration leaves office. Obama has pledged to kill the dump if elected, while McCain -- despite voting consistently in favor of the dump -- has indicated burying the wastes in Nevada may not be the best idea after all.

In any event, Wisconsin will face decades of radioactive waste risks, such as from accidents or attacks. Clean up this mess before making more.

Kevin Kamps

Beyond Nuclear

Takoma Park, Md.

Kevin Kamps  —  9/06/2008 7:16 am