Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

Response
10
WASTE PROGRAM
The objective of the program is to ensure the development of safe permenent isolation
and disposal of radioactive wastes with a high degree of assurance in the safety and perma-
nency of such isolation and disposal. The program is oriented to achieve this assurance as
expeditiously as possible without a premature committment to unproven solutions. If the use
of pilot scale facilities is viewed as a way to enhance achievement of these objectives then
such facilities would be utilized.
Issues
Numerous letters provided suggestions or stated preferences as to how the.Department
of Energy should conduct its waste disposal program(s). For instance, DOE should:
* Proceed with the demonstration/establishment of a waste repository. (3, 12, 13,
17, 21, 27, 32, 33, 34, 35, 49, 53, 55, 64, 152, 154, 166, 168, 177, 180, 182,
183, 196, 205, 210)
* Emphasize geologic disposal but continue studying other concepts. (32, 34, 180,
196)
* Move more deliberately and cautiously. (2, 28, 41, 86, 122, 128, 133, 153, 158,
164, 167, 187, 191, 195, 217, 218-DOI)
* Continue testing alternatives. (28, 158, 199, 215, 218-001)
Response
The recommended strategy supported by the analysis in this Statement and put forth by
the Presidential Statement of February 12, 1980, is that several alternate sites for geo-
logic disposal will be qualified in different geologic environments and host rock .types
prior to the selection of a preferred site for construction of a repository.
It is estimated that four or five such alternate sites could be qualified on the basis
of exploratory and geophysical techniques from the surface by 1985 which could lead to an
operating repository by the mid-1990's. If in-situ exploration at depth is required at each
of these alternate sites before a license application for construction can be submitted to
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this schedule will slip by at least three years.
The strategy of delaying selection of the first repository site until several qualified
alternatives are available is perceived as providing greater assurance of program success.