published by WISE News Communique on January 22, 1999
Environmental and consumer organizations called for US Energy Secretary Bill Richardson to disqualify Yucca Mountain as the proposed site of a nuclear waste repository. The data within the Department of Energy’s Viability Assessment (VA) released on December 18 confirm that the site must be disqualified. Furthermore the VA snubs necessary public involvement.
(505.4970) CMEP – In the Viability Assessment the scientific data supports the Petition to Disqualify Yucca Mountain which 219 environmental organizations submitted on November 18. The rapid water travel times from the proposed dump to the nearest wells supplying drinking water require the energy secretary to disqualify Yucca Mountain as a site to dump high-level nuclear waste. Several other concerns are likely showstoppers including seismic activity volcanic activity and geothermal upwelling.
“We object to the content of the report for its optimistic conclusions”, the groups said. “Our petition has highlighted clear evidence of showstoppers. It is time for the DOE to stop the show and disqualify Yucca Mountain.” DOE models despite their large uncertainties predict massive radionuclide contamination peaking up to 20 times above current radiation protection standards for other geologic waste dumps. “It is outrageous that DOE will continue to study this site when their own data predicts excessive radiation exposure to citizens of our nation”, said Wenonah Hauter, the director of Public Citizen’s Critical Mass Energy Project.
Earlier this month, representatives of environmental and consumer groups met with Richardson to urge that the VA be written with an open democratic process that fosters public participation. However, the DOE has failed to solicit the views of citizens. “We are frustrated with the DOE’s lack of effort in upholding the integrity of the process to characterize Yucca Mountain”, said Michael Mariotte, the executive director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. “The VA should be accompanied by several public hearings across the country in the many states that would be affected by this program.”
The DOE says the VA is intended to present an assessment of Yucca Mountain at this time but the agency has failed to allow for an outside independent peer review that is representative of the full range of concerns. The DOE should establish a convening body to select a representative group of peers across the full spectrum of issues and expertise the groups said.
The environmental community stands ready to nominate members of a convening body in an open process, said Hauter. “We also look forward to the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board’s review but we encourage them to not stop short of the obvious conclusions of Yucca Mountain that need to be drawn.”
Recent independent cost estimates for the Yucca Mountain program suggest a shortfall of US$25 billion. “It would be outrageous for DOE to make the decision to go forward with more work at Yucca Mountain when the evidence in their own study – – a leaky mountain leaky containers and earthquakes – – disqualify the site. It is time to move on and stop wasting billions of dollars.”
Source: News Release from 100 Environmental and Consumer Organizations, 18 December 1998
Contact: Critical Mass Energy Project, Auke Piersma
Tel: +1-202-546-4996 or
Mary Olson at NIRS:
1424 16th Street NW, Suite
404,Washington DC 20036 USA
Tel: +1-202-328 0002; Fax: +1-202-462 2183
Email: nirs@nirs.org