The Decision to Recommend Yucca Mountain and the Next Steps Toward Licensed Repository Development

After more than 20 years of carefully planned and reviewed scientific field work by the<br/>U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey, and numerous other<br/>organizations, Secretary of Energy Abraham concluded in January that the Yucca<br/>Mountain site is suitable, within the meaning of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, for<br/>development as a permanent nuclear waste and spent fuel repository. In February, the<br/>Secretary recommended to the President that the site be developed for licensed disposal<br/>of these wastes, and the President transmitted this recommendation to Congress. This<br/>paper summarizes key technical and national interest considerations that provided the<br/>basis for the recommendation. It also discusses the program’s near-term plans for<br/>repository development if Congress designates the site.