HOW’S THE WATER? The Hydrologic Aspect of Permanent Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste Below Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Since the harnessing of nuclear power in 1951, the United States has been generating high-level radioactive waste in the form of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). As of the year 2000, industry has generated approximately 42,000 metric tons of waste that is being stored in cooling ponds and dry casks in 39 states. When combined with waste generated by the department of defense, the total is raised to nearly 77,000 metric tons. The on-site storage of the waste, while effective, is meant only as a temporary means of disposal. Early recognition of the growing problem prompted Congress to pass the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) in 1982. The NWPA mandates that the government develop a permanent disposal method for the nation’s nuclear waste. Eventually geologic disposal of the waste was deemed to be the best solution, and in 1987 the Department of Energy selected Yucca Mountain, Nevada as the most suitable site. Standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1999 call for the government to prove, through science, that the waste can be isolated and the public protected for 10,000 years into the future.
SEMINAR OUTLINE: I. Introduction II. Public Safety III. Relevant Ground Water Contamination Considerations a. Current Climate and Geology b. Waste Packages c. Unsaturated Zone d. Saturated Zone e. Future Events II. Summary
On January 10th, 2002 the Department of Energy informed the Governor of Nevada that it has found Yucca Mountain scientifically sound for waste storage, and that it will recommend approval of the project. Nevada officials have vowed to keep the waste out of the state. REFERENCES CITED
Department of Energy, 2002, The Yucca Mountain Project, http://www.ymp.gov/
The Associated Press, 2002, Yucca Mountain Chronology, http://www.vegasvalley.com
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National Research Council, 1992, Ground Water at Yucca Mountain How High Can It Rise?, Final Report of the Panel on Coupled Hydrologic/Tectonic/Hydrothermal Systems at Yucca Mountain, National Academy Press, p. 1-231.