This document is an official press release from the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) announcing that the state filed a joint amicus brief (a “friend of the court” brief) with the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief supports a lower court decision that blocked federal licenses for consolidated interim storage of spent nuclear fuel in the Permian Basin region near the Texas – New Mexico border.
The filing is part of the case NRC v. Texas, which addresses whether the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has authority to license private facilities to store nuclear waste away from reactor sites.
This document itself is not a law or court ruling, but it reflects a formal legal filing submitted to the Supreme Court.
- An amicus brief allows non-parties (like states) to present legal arguments and policy concerns to the Court.
- The brief supports the Fifth Circuit’s decision that invalidated NRC-issued licenses for interim storage facilities in Texas and New Mexico.
- It argues that federal licensing may conflict with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, particularly regarding state involvement and consent.
- It becomes part of the official court record, potentially influencing how the justices interpret federal law and agency authority.
