Yucca Mountain Project: Failed Nuclear Waste Site Should Be Replaced, Panel Says
Matthew Daly
Huffington Post
1/26/12
Science/Technology
1000+ Words, 1 Page
A panel, known as the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, created by President Obama to deal with the nation's increasing amount of nuclear waste, has stated that a replacement site for the failed Yucca Mountain Project in Nevada (which cost 15 million dollars) must be found. The purpose of the Yucca Mountain Project was to have a mass site for the dumping of nuclear waste, and the Blue Ribbon Commission is again seeing the need for this. The Project was called to a halt in 2OO9 by the Obama Administration. The new report issued by the Commission is considered more sustainable than previous nuclear plans, and is in interest of immediate efforts to create at least on disposal facility for long-term management of nuclear waste within a willing host community (other states, tribes, and counties have been unwilling thus far) within the space of the next ten years.
It has been suggested that finding a suitable, permanent burial site for the nation's nuclear waste could take up to 1OO years, so in the meantime a storage facility is also being sought. This improvement on previous nuclear waste plans is coming at a good time for Americans, who received a wake-up call after the nuclear incident in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex of Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami.
Personally, I am of the opinion that we do need a change in our nuclear policy, especially to gather the nuclear waste strewn across the country, which jeopardizes various communities. Action should be taken quickly to locate a place in which waste can be stored, away from people, without damaging the surrounding environment. Changes in nuclear policy are warranted, primarily for safety interests of Americans, and though a plan of execution has not yet been laid, the release by the Blue Ribbon Commission is a promising step.
Liana
I agree that the United States is in need of organizing our nuclear waste, and the sooner this is done the better. We need to find a place where the neither the environment nor the surrounding communities will be harmed, which may be a difficult task to undertake. For this reason, finding a suitable area for the disposal of nuclear waste may take many years, which means it is good that the US is starting the search now. Hopefully this new site will not be called to a halt like the Yucca Mountain Project, because that would be another unnecessary waste of money and resources.
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