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 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. Currently, the Committee is learning more about long-term spent fuel storage options.
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At its March 28 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.
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At the May 23 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.
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At the October 3 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 nculear fuel policies. This discussion is available from the 2022-10-03 Committee Webcast Recording.
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At the December 5 Committee Meeting, the Committee reviewed its 2022 activities and brainstormed potential meeting topics for 2023. Meeting logistics for 2023 were also discussed.
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The Committee's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 6, 2023. Further information on this meeting will be published here as they become available.
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE MEETINGS
December 5, 2022
- 2022-12-05 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2022-12-05 Teams Meeting Chat
- 2022 VT NDCAP Draft Annual Report (December 1 Version)
October 3, 2022
- 2022-10-03 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2022-10-03 Presentation on US Congressional Spent Fuel Solutions Caucus
- Link to INSPECT Act (bill discussed during Congressional Spent Fuel Solutions Caucus presentation)
- Link to STRANDED Act of 2021 (bill mentioned during Committee discussion)
- Congressional Spent Nuclear Fuel Solutions Caucus Twitter Feed
- 2022-10-03 Teams Meeting Chat
May 23, 2022
- 2022-05-23 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2022-05-23 Holtec Presentation on Spent Fuel Aging Management
- 2022-05-23 Teams Meeting Chat
March 28, 2022
- 2022-03-28 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2022-03-28 Teams Meeting Chat
- WAMC News Coverage of Committee Meeting
- Deep Isolation Overview of Safety Calculations
- Deep Isolation Frequently Asked Questions
Further information on Deep Isolation is available at: https://www.deepisolation.com/our-story/
January 31, 2022
- 2022-01-31 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2022-01-31 Teams Meeting Chat
- Sweden Approves National Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Site
- Public Comments Received Before January 31 Meeting
- Public Comments Received After January 31 Meeting
- Committee Draft Advisory Opinion (February 3, 2022 Version)
December 20, 2021
- 2021-12-20 Committee Webcast Recording
- 2021-12-20 Teams Meeting Chat
2021 Committee Meeting Archives
Federal Nuclear Waste Policy Committee Rev. 2 Report (Summary of its 2021 Activities)
UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Monday, March 6, 2023
12 Noon to 2:00 PM
Location To Be Announced
Further details on this meeting will be published here as they become available.
Webcast Connectivity for FNWP Committee Meetings:
The following link may be used to join the webcast:
VT-NDCAP Nuclear Waste Policy Committee 2023-03-06 Webcast
PLEASE NOTE that this is different weblink from FNWP Committee meetings held prior to October 2022. 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
Conference ID: 269 355 434#
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
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.
New Reading Materials
September 2022 IBEW Comments on Proposed NRC Decommissioning Rules
2022 INSPECT Act (proposed bill)
STRANDED Act of 2021 (proposed bill)
2021 US Senate Proposed Nuclear Waste Task Force
Background Reading on National Spent Fuel Policy Topics
2012 Presidential Blue Ribbon Commission Report on America’s Nuclear Future
Sierra Club Guidance on High-Level Nuclear Waste Management
World Nuclear Association Summary of National Nuclear Waste Policies
US Government Accountability Office Nuclear Waste Disposal Issues Summary
Nuclear Energy Institute Used Nuclear Fuel Policy Position
Science Matters, LLC Nuclear Waste Disposal Options Summary
NWSC Call for Action on US Spent Fuel Storage and Disposal
Marvin Resnikoff Article on Radwaste Disposal & Greater Than Class C Waste
NRC Documentation on Greater Than Class C Waste
US Department of Energy Nuclear Waste Fund Financial Statement Audit
2021 Potential Paths Forward on US Nuclear Waste Policy (Columbia University Article)
September 2021 GAO Recommendations for Federal Spent Nuclear Fuel Policy Actions (GAO-21-603 Full Report)
One Page Summary of GAO-21-603 Recommendations
US DOE Consent-Based Siting Efforts
US Department of Energy November 2021 Consent-Based Siting Restart
Current US Department of Energy Consent-Based Siting Questionnaire
US Department of Energy December 2016 Consent-Based Siting Public Input Summary
US Department of Energy January 2017 Report on Consent-Based Siting
Yucca Mountain Related Links:
NRC Review Status of Yucca Mountain Facility License Application
US Department of Energy License Application for Yucca Mountain Facility
NRC Evaluation Documents for Yucca Mountain Application
NRC Yucca Mountain Brochure (aka Yucca Mountain “Backgrounder”)
Nevada Perspective on Yucca Mountain (2010 Idaho Law Review Article)
Brief History of Yucca Mountain Site Selection
Yucca Mountain: The Most Studied Real Estate on the Planet (2006 US Senate Report)
US Interim Storage Facility Links:
Interim Storage Facility NRC License Submittals (includes links for both proposed facilities)
2015 Andrews County Resolution Supporting an Interim Storage Facility
2021 Andrews County Resolution Opposing Interim Storage Facility
2021-09-09 Texas Law Opposing Interim Storage Facility
Additional Details on Texas Law Opposing Interim Storage Facility
2021-09-13 NRC Press Release on Andrews County Interim Storage Facility
NRC Approval Documentation for Andrews County Interim Storage Facility
2022-05-23 Holtec Presentation on Spent Fuel Aging Management
Spent Fuel Transportation Topics:
Spent Fuel Transport Railcar Development Status (Atlas & Fortis Railcars)
Gap Analysis for Supporting Spent Fuel Transportation and Extended Storage
November 2017 NDCAP Presentation on Spent Fuel Transportation Planning
Additional Suggested Background Readings:
Windham Regional Commission Comments on Spent Fuel Repository Consent-Based Siting
November 2017 NDCAP Presentation on US Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage
Vermont Yankee Site Redevelopment (a Town of Vernon, VT webpage)
Vermont Yankee Site Landscape Inventory (a Town of Vernon, VT document)
Vermont Yankee Site Redevelopment Plan (a Town of Vernon, VT document)
World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2020