Restart Yucca Mountain licensing and permanent nuclear waste disposal leadership
Mandate highlights the stalled Yucca Mountain process, $46B Nuclear Waste Fund, and need for DESAS leadership on disposal of commercial and government spent fuel plus low-level waste facilities.
Mandate
Mandate Ch. 12 (Energy) — Nuclear waste / DESAS energy role: developing leadership necessary for disposal of commercial and government spent nuclear fuel; licensing process for Yucca Mountain permanent repository is on hold; without storage sites, spent fuel remains at plants; low-level facilities also needed; Nuclear Waste Fund holds ~$46B.
Undo plan
1) Restart consent-based and/or Yucca licensing paths with state/Tribal engagement.
2) Use Nuclear Waste Fund for real disposal progress, not indefinite on-site storage only.
3) Advance interim consolidated storage as bridge with safety standards.
4) Align NRC/DOE responsibilities in legislation.
5) Verify: licensing milestones and stranded-fuel inventories.