This Department of Energy (DOE) webpage and report outline the federal government’s “consent-based siting” process for locating one or more temporary (interim) storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel (high-level radioactive waste). It updates earlier proposals (from 2017) and incorporates public feedback gathered over several years.
The document is not a law or regulation, but a policy framework and roadmap explaining how DOE intends to act under existing federal authority, primarily the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and recent congressional funding directives.
- It describes how DOE will identify potential sites, engage communities, and evaluate candidates for interim nuclear waste storage.
- It establishes that participation is intended to be voluntary (“consent-based”), meaning DOE seeks agreement from states, tribes, and local communities before moving forward.
- It clarifies that the actual construction of a storage facility still requires additional congressional authorization, even if a site is selected.
