Environmental Matters in the Commonwealth of Kentucky

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced submittal of a license application (LA) to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seeking authorization to construct America’s first repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.  The 8,600 page application describes DOE’s plan to safely isolate spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in tunnels deep underground at Yucca Mountain, a remote ridge on federally controlled land in the Mojave Desert 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.  Currently, the waste is stored at 121 temporary locations in 39 states across the nation.  Yucca Mountain is a ridge comprised of layers of rock, called “tuff.” This rock is made of ash that was deposited by successive eruptions from nearby volcanoes between 11 and 14 million years ago.

The license application consists of a letter describing its purpose, accompanied by attachments that contain general information and a safety analysis report.

• The general information portion of the application will provide an overview of the repository’s engineering design concept and will describe the natural features of the site.
• The safety analysis report (the main technical document in the licensing process) will demonstrate how the repository can be constructed, operated, and closed in a manner that protects public and worker health and safety and preserves the quality of the environment.

The NRC is the licensing and regulatory agency that will make the final decision on whether the DOE is allowed to proceed with construction and subsequent licensing to operate the repository.

Accessing the Yucca License Application

The Yucca Mountain License Application is available on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Licensing Support Network.  License Application - 8,344 pages; Edited appendix - 302 pages; OUO appendix SIS - 1 page.