VT NDCAP Federal Nuclear Waste Policy

VT NDCAP FEDERAL NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY (FNWP) COMMITTEE

VT NDCAP’s Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee was created in December 2020 in order for the Panel to learn more about US national spent fuel storage and disposal issues. The Committee will develop recommendations on US nuclear waste policies for the Full Panel to consider.

Comments or Questions may be sent to the VT NDCAP Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee by emailing PSD.NDCAP@vermont.gov or by contacting State Nuclear Engineer Tony Leshinskie at anthony.leshinskie@vermont.gov or (802) 272-1714.

All emails sent to VT NDCAP or the FNWP Committee become public record.

CURRENT & RECENT COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES:

The FNWP Committee is considering its next steps in assessing current Federal nuclear waste policies, including the review of recent Congressional spent fuel legislation proposals and efforts by the Congressional Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus established in early 2021. In 2022 and 2023, the Committee learned more about long-term spent fuel storage options.

At its June 12 and June 19, 2023 meetings, the Committee discussed potential recycling and reprocessing options for spent nuclear fuel. Both meetings featured a presentation by a recognized expert regarding nuclear fuel reprocessing and recycling. The US Department of Energy is reconsidering reprocessing (recycling) nuclear fuel, a practice essentially prohibited in the US for several decades, to limit reliance on foreign uranium sources. Some existing light water reactors can use reprocessed fuel while several new reactor designs, if implemented, may require it. At the June 12th meeting, Dr. Sven Bader, Technical Consultant at Orano Federal Services, discuss several spent fuel recycling options. At the June 19th meeting, Dr. Edwin Lyman, Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, discussed several concerns regarding spent fuel reprocessing.
- 2023-06-12 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2023-06-19 Committee Webcast Recording
At its March 6, 2023 Meeting, the Committee discussed Two Perspectives on Amending the 1982 & 1986 Nuclear Waste Policy Acts. These perspectives were provided by Jay E. Silberg, a Partner at Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman, LLP and Diane Curran, a Partner at Harmon, Curran, Spielberg and Eisenberg, LLP. This discussion is available from the 2023-03-26 Committee Webcast Recording.
At its December 5,2022 Committee Meeting, the Committee reviewed its 2022 activities and brainstormed potential meeting topics for 2023. These resulted in several updates to the Panel's Annual Report draft. Meeting logistics for 2023 were also discussed.
At the October 3, 2022 Committee Meeting, Congressional Legislative Assistant Oliver Edelson provided an overview of US Congressional Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus activities, as well as an informative Questions and Answers session on spent nuclear fuel policies. This discussion is available from the 2022-10-03 Committee Webcast Recording.
At the May 23, 2022 Committee Meeting, representatives from Holtec International outlined the company’s plans for long-term monitoring and aging management of spent fuel storage systems, such as those currently used at Vermont Yankee. A lively Questions and Answers session on spent fuel storage system capabilities occurred. This presentation and discussion is available from the 2022-05-23 Committee Webcast Recording.
At its March 28, 2022 Meeting, the Committee received a presentation from Deep Isolation, a Berkeley, CA-based start-up company, that proposes using existing “side drilling” oil well technology as a means for spent nuclear fuel disposal.

The Committee's next meeting will be held Monday, September 25, 2023 and will discuss the status of spent fuel transportation planning. Further information on this meeting is available below.

PREVIOUS COMMITTEE MEETINGS

March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023 Meeting Agenda
2023-03-06 Committee Webcast Recording
Background Information for March 6 FNWP Committee Meeting
Jay E. Silberg Biography
Diane Curran Biography
Fact Sheet Opposing Consolidated Interim Storage (Supplied by Diane Curran)
2023-03-06 Teams Meeting Chat

June 12, 2023

June 19, 2023

2022 Committee Meeting Archives

2021 Committee Meeting Archives

Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee Rev. 2 Report (Summary of its 2021 Activities)

UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Monday, September 25

12 Noon to 1:00 PM

Microsoft Teams Webcast

The Federal Nuclear Waste Policy (FNWP) Committee of the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT NDCAP) will meet on
Monday, September 25, 2023 from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM. At this meeting, Dr. Sara Hogan, US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, and Dr. Steve Maheras, US DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will discuss the current planning efforts for spent nuclear fuel transportation within the continental United States. Logistical considerations for moving spent fuel from the Vermont Yankee site will be included in this discussion.

Webcast Connectivity for FNWP Committee Meetings

VT-NDCAP FNWP Committee September 2023 Meeting

Meeting ID: 219 455 202 503

Passcode: NP9acz (this code is case-sensitive)

Note that this is NEW weblink that has not been used for any prior FNWP Committee meetings.

While this weblink will broadcast both the video and audio portions of the webcast, the meeting audio will also be available from the following new teleconference connection:

(802) 552-8456 - OR - (802) 828-7228

Phone Conference ID: 363 695 177#

Additional instructions for joining VT NDCAP webcasts are available from the following links:

https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/Logging_into_MS_Teams.pdf

https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/teams-meeting-toolbar-guide

The September 25 FNWP Committee meeting is scheduled to run for 1 hour. While there will be an opportunity for public questions and comments, the comment period will be limited to assure that the invited speakers have sufficient time for their presentation. Written questions and comments for the Committee members or the meeting speakers may be submitted to VT NDCAP’s email address at PSD.NDCAP@vermont.gov.

All emails sent to the Committee become public record and may be published on the VT NDCAP website (https://publicservice.vermont.gov/electric/ndcap) or this webpage.

Additional Committee meeting dates and details will be announced here as they become available.

All Committee (as well as all other NDCAP) meetings are open to the public. Questions regarding any of the Committee’s announced meetings may be directed to State Nuclear Engineer Tony Leshinskie at anthony.leshinskie@vermont.gov or (802) 272-1714.