Proposed Alternative Strategy for the Department of Energy's Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program--A Task Force Report

In his January 12, 1993 letter to Senator Johnston, Secretary Watkins promised to develop a
conceptual revised program strategy for public review. The enclosed document represents the
final report of the Task Force on an Alternative Program Strategy that was established to fulfill
that commitment. The report incorporates refinements to the preliminary draft you received on
March 8, based on discussions with key people in the program.
In developing this alternative strategy, the Task Force has drawn on the extensive analyses of
program options, and discussions of those options with stakeholders, undertaken by the program
during the last four years. The Task Force has also drawn on the recommendations the program
has received from such external bodies as the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, the
National Academy of Sciences' Board on Radioactive Waste Management, and the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste.
The alternative strategy seeks to better achieve the objectives of the program while satisfying
concerns of stakeholders. We believe that the alternative strategy could serve as a basis for a
broad public review and discussion of key aspects of the program. Such a review could help
improve the strategy and develop the external support needed to enable it to succeed.
In submitting this report, the Task Force would like to recognize the important role played in its
discussions by Kenneth Baskin, Thomas A. Cotton, and J. Michael McGarry, Ill. We would also
like to acknowledge the help that we received from many other participants in the waste
program. We are particularly grateful for the efforts of Robert Waxman of the Office of General
Counsel and the exceptional writing support from John Burns of the M&O.