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New
Legislative Proposals
As
the 110th Congress gathers steam in the first session
they will consider two radioactive waste management
proposals. The first proposal is a virtual repeat
of last year's S.2589, including the much maligned
Section 7. Last fall, Sen.
Pete Domenici introduced S.2589 on behalf of DOE.
While much of the bill was acceptable to most states,
Section 7 received universal disapproval from
stakeholders because it threatened to take away the
states' rights to inspect, escort, and impose fees on
shipments. DOE's new legislative proposal, called the
Nuclear Fuel Management and Disposal Act, does not
as of yet have a sponsor and includes Section 7. On April 2, the
committee sent letters to each of the Midwestern
Governors to inform them of the potential consequences
of the passage of Section 7. Committee
members will receive copies of the letters later this
week.
Click here to see the generic letter to
the Governors.
Click here to see the full text of DOE's
proposal.
The
second bill under consideration is the West Valley
Remediation Act of 2007 (S.81). This bill, sponsored by
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, aims to speed up the clean
up of the West Valley Demonstration Project site in
Western New York. Among other things, the bill would
define the transuranic waste currently in storage at the
site as defense related, thus making it eligible for
final disposition at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in
Carlsbad, New Mexico. If enacted, the remote-handled TRU
waste at West Valley could pass through the Midwestern
states on its way to WIPP or to an intermediate facility
for characterization and packaging. The committee
will hear an update on the West Valley TRU waste at its
June meeting in Jefferson City.
Click here to see the full text of
S.81
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Midwestern
Radioactive Materials