Abstracts of Papers As of February 3 1997 to Be Presented at Waste
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0* 'A!2ýJAJ U... sluwýa,,Za, :JO ,eAR aj-,,eq ý,360900 Nld IT-WM 31sym Had 10irOL6 OtrOOSESOL6 SESSION: 1-PLENARY SESSON-3-STATUS: OF LLR.WMIXED AT :COMPACTS AND.S.TATES-I - LEVERAGING RESOURCES ACRfOSS DOE SITES FOR FASTER AND MORE ECONOMICAL CLEANUPS WARD VALLEY 1996 - SCIENCE GONE SOUTH Lee A. Mclntire Richard F. Paton President Vice President Bechtel National, Inc American Ecology Corp. ABSTRACT Boise, Idaho Leveraging resources across DOE sites means sharing resources, avoiding duplica James A. Shaffner, P.E. Manager, Southwestern Compact Region lion, and taking advantage of technology irrespective ot where it was invenleo. Historically, DOE's numerous sites have been operated like independent silos; however, US Eocology Inc with the evoiving mission of these sites and with more tocus on cleanuu rather than on Rocklin, California production, opportunities for leveraging resources are right in front ot us. Two tactors that ABSTRACT allow for resource leveraging are the DOE's Contract Reform initiatives and the entry of The Ward Valley Land transfer impasse is a prime example ot the dilemma that results firms ihkeours into tnis growing market - firms that have the experience to integrate activ when political ideology is substituted for scientific method ina public policy debate. In the ities at multiple sites, leveraging the resources of those sites to create more business face of scientific tace, pleas by knowledgeable scientisls and doctors and to the eco opportunities for the customer at thai site, for other customers in our business, and, most nomic detriment of California, the Clinton administration n.,. steadfastly refused to trans importantly, for our employees. We wii! meet the challenge of faster and more economical ler a small parcel of land in the Mojave desert to California for low-level radioactive waste cleanups by taking advantage of the human potential at these sites, motivating people, disoosal tacit.ly. The administration has chose to listen instead to a small group of and creating a vision for the future. Only through working together will we, the contractor Hollywood actrvists, championed by senator Barbara Boxer, who retuse to let facts get in community, labor, and DOE, achieve our goal of "doing more for less.' the way of their anli-nuclear ideology. In taking this position, Clinton has demonstrated that he is willing to jeopardize the economy ot our biggest stale as well as the health and S:. SESSION 2-MULLTINATIONAL REP.OSITORiES well being of thousands to people suffering from lifethreatening diseases - all to mollily the interests of a 'ew well-heeled contributors. In so doing, he is thwarting the implementation INTERNATIONAL REPOSITORIES - PERSPECTIVE FROM A COUNTRY WITH A of a federal law - one which he helped create when he was governor ot Arkansas - and SMALL NUCLEAR PROGRAMME doing so at taxpayer expense. C. McCombie, H. Issler This paper chronicles the efforts, throughout 1996, by the Clinton administration to Nagra thwart the land transfer necessary for completion of the Ward Valley projeci. With the most 5430 Wettingen, Switzerland tenu.ous of excuses Deputy Interior Secretary John Garamendi called for additional tests and studies following. all the while, the advice o0 anti-nuclear activists instead of credible ABSTRACT government experts. The adminislralion's pattern of continual delay in this process has place in dif Discussions on the pros and cons of international repositories have taken recently prompted Governor Pete Wilson to act. The paper concludes with recent inia over a long period of time. ferent technical ano non-lechnical groups and organisations live on the part of protect proponents to reverse delaying tactics by the federal govern dominated either by political consid Almost always, however, the debate is immediately ment through legal action. erations or by economic arguments. The former can lead to those countries developing their national systems to explicitly reject possibilities for accepting foreign wastes since WARD VALLEY AND THE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE POLICY ACT such plans can make local acceptance of repository projects more difhicult. Financial Alan D. Pasternak, Ph.D., Technical Director arguments can lead small, waste-producing countrieslo seek collaboration aimed at California Radioactive Materials Management Forum reducing specific disposal costs or can encourage large countries with low population Post Office Box 1638 densities to look for business opportunities. Lafayette, California 94549-1636 Currently national opinion (public and political) often seems to favour dedicated ABSTRACT of collaboration are apparent to tech national facilities although the potential advantages it is now over three years since September, 1993 when the California Department of nical or economic specialists. Health Services, California's Agreement State Agency, certified the Environmental Impact dis Before the relative merits of national vs international disposal can be seriously Report (EIR) for the proposed Ward Valley low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal a national repository must be cussed by any country, the basic feasibility of implementing project and issued a license to US Ecology, Inc. to construct and operate the the technology to imple considered. The requirements are a good sound concept and Southwestern Compact's first regional disposal facility. But there is still no project. resources to drive the pro ment this, a suitable geologic setting and adequate financial It is over a year since January, 1996 when California's courts completed judicial developed adequate technot gramme In Switzerland, a long-term R&D programme has review and upheld the Department's regulatory decisions to issue the Ward Valley license studied but looks promising and costing stud ogy, the siting issue for HLW is still being and to certify the EIR. But still no project. The last major administrative action required although very high, can, if necessary, be financed by the ies indicate that the unit costs, before the Ward Valley project can move from proposal to reality is a sale ol federal lands generators of nuclear electricity. to the State of California Ior use as the site of the Southwestern Compact's first regional disposal includes evaluation of both alterna Current official Swiss strategy for HLW disposal facility. But since taking oflice in January, 1993, the Clinton Administration has lives. national facility or an international repository. This strategy is determined, on the one refused to complete the Ward Valley land sale. The Administration and the U.S the hand, by the uncertainties in the future availability of international options and, by Department of the Interior have offered a series of excuses for not completing the land decision becomes necessary. The other hand, by the long time horizons before a final sale and have called for one study after another. public) immediate goal is to convince all relevant bodies (implementers, regulators and A mix of science and politics affects Ward Valley decisionmaking, especially deci In the long intervening period that safe deep disposal is indeed feasible in Switzerland. sions related to the land sale. A favorable National Academy of Sciences review, com of next century, ample before a HLW repository becomes necessary towards the middle pleted in May, 1995, has not been sufficient to persuade the Administration to proceed projects and for evaluating potential time is available for participating in joint preparatory with the land sale. In February 1996, Interior called for more another year's delay, more repository prospects. international tests at Ward Valley, and a second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). Deputy Interior Secretary John Garamendi who GUIDELINES FOR INTERNATIONAL DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES The so-called "Garamendi Exercise" (aflter John W.Bartlett has been DOt's spokesman on Ward Valley for the past year-and-a-half) has no basis in S. Cohen & Associates, Inc. science, lacking even the support of Interior's own U.S. Geological Survey, and gaining McLean, Virginia only the grudging cooperation of the U.S. Department of Energy. This latest study is, at best, a delaying lactic to postpone a decision and, at worst, an effort "to study the pro ABSTRACT ject to death," in the words of the San Jose Mercury News. approach to disposal of This paper discusses the incentives for an international On January 31, 1997, California Governor Pete Wilson, saying his "...patience with be accomplished. The incentives radioactive wastes and the means by which it might these tactics of delay is now exhausted,..." announced the filing of a lawsuit in federal for cost effectiveness, minimization of environmental impacts, and focus on the need court by the California Department of Health Services seeking to compel the Ward Valley Implementation should be led by the potential limitations ot availability of disposal sites. land transfer. The Governor also announced that the state would proceed with confirma experience diplomatic comimunity, and should build on the now extensive world-wide tory testing as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences report. (The NAS had and characterization of candidate disposal sites, and on existing, in concerning selection recommended additional tests during construction and operation of the disposal facility, disposal. The initiative could come from a use technologies for all operations except but Interior has demanded the tests be done before the land sale.) group