ANS Response and Comments on Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2013 Draft

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the draft Nuclear Waste Administration Act (NWAA). The ANS is a not-for-profit, international, scientific, and educational organization with nearly 12,000 members worldwide. The core purpose of ANS is to promote awareness and understanding of the application of nuclear science and technology. As an organization, it has published a number of position statements regarding the issue of spent fuel and radioactive waste.

We applaud your efforts to re-invigorate the dialogue to address this nation’s high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel disposal policy. But we must also express our concern that lack of action by the Congress and the Administration in addressing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982 et seq. sets a poor precedent for any future legislation on this matter. The NWAA could be a step forward in fulfilling the federal government’s responsibilities but it must be done within the context of the NWPA, rather than replace it.

A new nuclear waste management organization is critical for both the continued viability of the nuclear power industry in the United States as well as the credibility of the United States as a global leader in nuclear trade and non-proliferation. While we do not believe the governance structure proposed in the NWAA is the appropriate model, we strongly encourage the committee to continue their efforts to establish and ultimately charter an organization that will address our nation’s nuclear waste.