Consent-Based Siting: Social Science & Nuclear Waste Management at the U.S. Department of Energy

Can anthropologists help the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) design a more environmentally just, participatory, and consent-based siting process for spent nuclear fuel management facilities? The DOE has committed to a consent-based approach to siting spent nuclear fuel management facilities that aims to enable broad community participation and center equity and environmental justice. Communities will participate in the siting process by working through a series of phases and steps with the DOE to help determine whether hosting a facility to manage spent nuclear fuel aligns with the community’s goals. To support this, the DOE has issued a $16 million funding opportunity to provide resources for fostering dialogue, developing innovative community ideas, and capturing public feedback. Eligible awardees include higher-education institutions, Tribal, State, and Local governments, community foundations, NGOs, trade associations, 501(c)(3) organizations, and other public groups. In this webinar, anthropologist Vincent Ialenti, who works as a DOE federal manager, highlights the central role that social scientists are playing in the DOE’s consent-based siting effort. AAA Executive Director Ed Liebow then offers personal reflections on his past experiences working with the DOE on Tribal engagement, regional health, and emergency preparedness. This webinar may be of interest to social scientists curious about careers in federal service, to organizations interested in learning more about the DOE’s funding opportunity and consent-based siting efforts, and to anthropologists committed to environmental justice Panelists: Vincent Ialenti, PhD, Office of Integrated Waste Management, U.S. Department of Energy Ed Liebow, PhD, Executive Director, American Anthropological Association