Board reprimands DOE; says Yucca issues unclear

Friday, Feb. 25, 2000 | 11:03 a.m.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is criticizing the U.S. Department of Energy's efforts to measure environmental impacts at Yucca Mountain for a proposed high-level nuclear waste repository.

In response to the DOE's report on the repository's environmental impacts, the commission on Thursday cited DOE's failure to clearly define issues not related to radiological impacts from transporting 77,000 tons of highly radioactive waste within Nevada.

The commission said the DOE failed to address cumulative impacts, an important requirement under federal environmental law. Among the issues, the DOE did not consider the future use of ground water at Yucca when combined with growing local cities or agricultural water rights of the Timbisha Shoshone tribe.

Southwest of the mountain, which is located 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the Interior Department maintains such rare and endangered species as the Devil's Hole pupfish and the Mojave Desert tortoise. The commission said the DOE fails to consider limits on land use there if a repository is built.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for licensing any repository whether it is at Yucca Mountain or another location.

The commission said the DOE also needs to evaluate impacts of water use, economic, social, cultural, biological, public health and safety issues as well.

In addition, the DOE also needs to consider environmental monitoring at the site, expected to keep nuclear waste away from people for 10,000 years.

The state of Nevada has leveled similar criticisms at the DOE's proposed environmental impacts but has urged the agency to scrap its draft document and start over again.