NM Lawmakers Warned About Carlsbad Nuclear Waste Facility
The concerns with interim storage of spent nuclear fuel in Southeastern New Mexico consist of environmental and social justice impacts. Both Baca and Grisham say that an interim storage site would become a de facto permanent resting place for America’s nuclear waste. There are currently no plans in sight for a permanent deep geological repository in the United States, despite the federal government’s promise to create one over 40 years ago.
Andrews commissioners will sign resolution opposing high-level nuclear waste storage
A packed Special Meeting held by the Andrews County Commissioners’ Court on July 15, 2021 resulted in a vote to draft up a resolution against the interim storage of high-level nuclear waste in Andrews County. Dozens of residents spoke at the meeting, with a large showing of Waste Control Specialists employees and local residents in opposition.
Host County Execs in Texas Undecided About Interim Storage Site After Community Meeting
On Tuesday this week, the Commissioners’ Court held a public meeting to collect community input on WCS’s proposal, which is currently under federal licensing review. Of the “seven or eight” public comments the court heard around six of them opposed the site, Falcon said.
NRC Environmental Review of Holtec Interim Storage Site Delayed to November
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has delayed the final environmental review for Holtec’s proposed interim spent fuel storage site in Lea County, N.M., to November from July, the agency said last week.
New Mexico “Cannot Accept” Proposed Interim Storage Site, Lawmakers Tell Granholm
The Land of Enchantment “has not and will not consent” to the proposed Holtec International interim storage site in Lea County, N.M., said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) alongside Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) in a letter which landed on energy secretary Jennifer Granholm’s desk July 2.
Andrews County commissioners hear from public on nuclear waste proposal
“High-level, you will die within three days,” she said. “I don’t want to take that risk for my children. I’m sure you have a lot of geologists speaking with you … but they’re looking at charts, graphs, they’re not looking at my 7-year-old son and my 87-year-old grandfather.
Experts: Nuclear waste storage a concern in New Mexico, Southwest
For the first phase of the project, Holtec has requested initial authorization to store up to 8,680 metric tons of uranium (MTUs) in up to 500 HI-STORM UMAX system dry in-ground canisters (Figure 3) for a license period of 40 years. Holtec eventually wants to apply for amendments for up to 20 phases, which would cover an area spanning 330 acres.
Andrews County Commissioners asking for more community feedback about high-level nuclear waste
As soon as July of 2021, high-level nuclear waste could be headed to Andrews, Texas. Andrews County Commissioner Kerry Pack reached out to constituents via social media this past week in order to hear from more voices. Low-level nuclear waste is already stored in Andrews County, but high-level nuclear waste is an entirely different beast.
These activists think they have the solution to Texas’ nuclear waste problem
A better solution, according to Kamps and Burnam, is to pass legislation at the federal level relating to hardened onsite storage, a concept first described by Dr. Gordon Thompson of the Institute for Resource and Security Studies in 2003.
Fasken Will Appeal if NRC Approves Nuclear Site in Andrews
Once a permit is issued to WCS to store high-level waste, it will be “very difficult” to stop the process, Taylor said. He criticized the federal government for looking for temporary solutions rather than developing a permanent repository, and called the casks WCS is seeking to store with high-level waste inside “Chernobyl in a can” and “the most toxic material mankind has ever created.”