This document provides a white paper detailing required changes to the DOE Atlas railcar conceptual cradle attachment components and Phase 1 conceptual cradle design due to the addition of the HI-STAR 190 SL and XL casks to the project. 

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing for future large-scale transport of spent 
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, which are collectively defined as High-Level Radioactive 
Material (HLRM) by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). A part of this preparation includes 
designing railcars to be used for the transport of HLRM. 
 

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing for future large-scale transport of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, which are collectively defined as High-Level Radioactive Material (HLRM) by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). A part of this preparation includes designing railcars to be used for the transport of HLRM.
 

Large-scale investments in land are spreading faster than ever before across the global south. Often these investments target lands governed by customary rights that are not adequately recognized and protected under national laws, or sites where governments lack the capacity to enforce the law. Land deals that change the use of land and natural resources have wide implications for indigenous peoples and local communities who depend primarily on these resources for their livelihoods, welfare and cultural identity.

Policy makers and local land use officials have long struggled to cope with the "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) syndrome in attempting to site "locally undesirable land uses" (LULUs), such as homeless shelters, drug or alcohol treatment centers, and waste disposal facilities. In general, LULUs are considered beneficial to society at large,' and many agree that they should be located somewhere. Those same citizens protest vigorously, however, when such a use is sited near their homes. This protest is quite rational.

The FAO Governance of Tenure Technical Guides are part of FAO’s initiative to help develop capacities to improve tenure governance and thereby assist countries in applying the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security. The FAO Governance of Tenure Technical Guides are prepared by technical specialists and can be used by a range of actors.

In 2019, the NWMO commissioned Maawandoon Inc to lead Indigenous Dialogue session to support NWMO’s transportation planning for the long-term care of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. This research built upon and complemented public attitude research carried out in 2017 and 2018. The research methodology consisted of 7 Indigenous dialogue sessions and attendance at 3 Indigenous Annual General Assemblies (AGA)/meetings with dialogue components.

In 2002, the federal government passed a law to create the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, also known by its initials NWMO. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was established by Ontario Power Generation Inc., Hydro-Québec and New Brunswick Power Corporation in accordance with the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (NFWA) to assume responsibility for the long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. More specifically, the NWMO’s initial objective was to recommend a long-term approach for managing used nuclear fuel produced by Canada’s electricity generators.

Based on data from the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in 2017, there are 9,353 Mining Business Licenses (MBL) with 9,074 MBLs entered in the DG of Mineral and Coal database. Of these, 6,565 MBLs passed the CnC requirements, while the remaining 2,509 MBLs were categorized as non-CnC. The focus of the problems studied are: (1) What is the Direction of Changes in Government Policy in the Mining Sector?

This review develops recommendations for moving forward with SNF and HLW management in a context of social distrust, while also working to regain social trust over the long term. We begin with a short overview of social trust and confidence, including definitions, how it is built and destroyed, and trends in social trust in the US. We then turn to the implications of dilemmas and trade-offs that arise for the design and implementation of a system that has requirements in addition to trust and confidence.

Effective risk communication is essential to the well-being of any organization and those people who depend on it. Ineffective communication can cost lives, money, and reputations. Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence-Based User's Guide provides the scientific foundations for effective communication.

In order to promote a sound basis for considering the role of nuclear in climate change, this review spans the technical topics of social and political debate surrounding nuclear energy with a focus on the objective science of these issues including nuclear waste, accidents and overall risk. Novel aspects include the emergence of nuclear energy as being potentially renewable and the antithesis of Fukushima being an argument for the unacceptable risks associated with the use of nuclear energy.

The question of whether centralized storage of civilian spent nuclear fuel (SNF) should be part of the federal waste management system as an intermediate step before permanent disposal has been debated for more than four decades. Centralized storage facilities were included as a potential component of the U.S. spent fuel management system in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), but the NWPA did not identify these facilities as being essential.

Video of the Atlas Railcar traveling over the Ft. Steele Bridge Crossing

Video of the recently completed 1,600-mile round-trip journey from Colorado to Idaho to wrap up final testing on the Atlas railcar.

Despite being safely transported in the U.S. for more than half a century, many still believe spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is too dangerous to transport. But, in reality, it’s a well-coordinated process with a great track record—and we have the facts to prove it.

This is a video presentation of the ENSA/DOE Multimodal Transportation Test, which began in Spain, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and progressed by rail to the western US. 

Summarize alternatives for moving SONGS SNF offsite to an interim storage facility or repository. Describe the process for preparing for transporting canisters offsite. Summariz the SCE Action plan for making progress to move SNF offsite.