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

B. 1JM PORTER
H.T. SUTTON OFFICE OF CONSERVATION ADMINISTRATOR
COMMESIONER NUCLEAR ENERGY DIVISION
July 9, 1979
-2-
provide comment on state concerns where appropriate. While the provisions of Act
650 of the 1978 Louisiana Legislature Regular Session do not allow the location of
a storage facility within the State, we look forward to the development of a
national strategy which addresses the technical and socio-political issues necessary
for selection of repository sites and bringing repositories into operation within a
reasonable period of time.
Dr. Colin A. Heath
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this vitally important issue.
Division of Waste Isolation
Mail Stop B-107 Sincerely
U. S. Department of Energy
Washington, D.C. 20545
Dear Dr. Heath: 3m orter
SAdministrator
This is to acknowledge receipt of DOE/EIS-0046-D, "Management of L1uclear Energy Division
Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste", Volumes I and I. We have reviewed
the documents and found them to be very extensive and comprehensive in nature, BJP:pfd
covering all aspects of potential environmental consequences related to the
disposal of high level and transuranic radioactive waste from the commerical
nuclear fuel cycle.
It is felt that since the United States will have to depend upon nuclear
energy as a power source until other sources are feasible, it is imperative that
there be a national program to ensure a solution to the problem of nuclear waste
management and storage. While we agree that the approach to permanent disposal
of nuclear waste should proceed on a step wise basis in a technically conservative
manner, we also feel that additional delays such as have been experienced in the
past, will have a detrimental affect on the establishment of a sound energy policy
and on the nation's future energy outlook.
Basically, we agree with the analysis presented in the Draft GEIS by the
DOE, that (1) the disposal of radioactive waste in geological formations likely can
be developed and applied with a minimum environmental consequence; and (2) the
program's emphasis, therefore, should be on the establishment of mined repository
as the disposal technology for nuclear waste. As you know, the Louisiana Office of
Conservation has been designated by Governor Edwards as the official liaison with
DOE in the high level waste disposal investigations currently being conducted in
and around Vacherie and Rayburn salt domes located in North Louisiana. We have
in the past, and will continue to closely monitor the activities of the DOE, Division
of Waste Isolation and its major contractor, the Batelle Memorial Institute, Office
of Nuclear Waste Isolation in relation to ongoing studies in Louisiana, and will
P.O. BOX 14690 BATCN ROUGE, LOUSIANA 70e08 . PHONE (504) 925-4518