Documenting the intersection of nuclear policy, regional safety, and state authority.
Protect the Basin is a fact-based public awareness initiative focused on nuclear waste storage and transport policy as it affects the Permian Basin and surrounding regions.
We are a coalition of residents, industry professionals, landowners, and policy observers who share a common belief: communities and states should have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their land, water, economy, and long-term safety.
Our work centers on research, documentation, and public education. Through our Resource Library, policy summaries, and regulatory timeline, we aim to make complex federal nuclear waste decisions understandable and accessible.
We are not anti-energy. We are not anti-technology. We are pro-accountability, pro-consent, and pro-long-term responsibility.
Technical filings and white papers
Legislative milestones 1982–Present
Core safety & transport risks
Our position is clear and consistent:
We support nuclear energy and advanced nuclear technology.
We oppose transporting or storing high-level nuclear waste in communities and states that have not consented. We oppose labeling a facility as “interim” when it may function as de facto permanent storage.
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act established a structured approach for managing spent nuclear fuel. We believe federal agencies must operate within both the letter and spirit of that law.
Protecting the world’s most productive energy corridor from conflicting infrastructure risks.
Proposals for consolidated interim storage in Texas and New Mexico have placed the Permian Basin at the center of a national policy debate.
This region is one of the most economically productive energy corridors in the United States. It contains extensive oil and gas infrastructure, water-sensitive environments, and critical transportation routes.
Policy decisions made today could shape land use, regulatory precedent, and interstate waste transport patterns for generations.
At the same time, federal licensing, legal challenges, and evolving court rulings are redefining the scope of agency authority.
Understanding these developments requires access to primary documents, regulatory filings, court opinions, and legislative history – which is why we built the Timeline and Resource Library.
This is not just a local issue. It is a federal policy question with national implications.
We are committed to:
Presenting primary source documents with citations.
Providing plain-English summaries of complex regulatory material.
Updating information as legal and policy developments occur.
Maintaining a neutral, fact-based tone.
Engaging in civil, informed dialogue.
We believe serious policy issues deserve serious analysis.
As this conversation continues at the federal and state levels, we will continue documenting developments and providing clarity for residents, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and media.
To explore the documents and history behind this issue, visit our Resource Library or review the full Timeline of Developments.
