Consent-Based Siting: U.S. DOE Climate Action & Spent Nuclear Fuel Management

Nuclear energy is essential to tackling climate change. Maintaining the nation’s current fleet and deploying advanced reactors is crucial in achieving the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s ambitious goals of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of the decade, 100% clean electricity by 2035, and a net-zero economy by 2050.

However, to meet those goals, progress needs to be made in the management of spent nuclear fuel. Inaction on this issue has already cost taxpayers more than $9 billion in settlements and judgments.

The DOE is committed to a consent-based approach to siting spent nuclear fuel management facilities that enables broad community participation and centers on equity and environmental justice. To support that effort, the DOE recently issued a $16 million funding opportunity to provide resources to communities and foster the development of innovative community ideas and feedback specific to siting one or more federal consolidated interim storage facilities for the nation’s spent nuclear fuel.

Moderated by Breakthrough Institute’s Dr. Adam Stein, this webinar will feature a discussion between DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff and the Good Energy Collective’s Dr. Jessica Lovering on the Department’s progress toward developing an equitable, consent-based process for siting a federal consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. The conversation will then open up for a live Q&A session.