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Re: Reuters article: Yucca Mtn. - Nuclear Waste Fund
The Nuclear Waste Fund (NWF) was established by Congress through the
Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. The NWF money is actually invested in US
Treasury Securities. A good source of information on the NWF can be found
at :
http://www.rw.doe.gov/progdocs/facts/crwmfct/fundfct/fundfct.htm
Another good resource on NWF information is the FY 1999 Year-end Budget
Report which can be found at:
http://www.rw.doe.gov/progmgmt/budgets/monthlyBudInfo1.pdf
This document discusses where all the money has gone and what is left in
the account.
NWF balance to date is $8.481 billion. A total of $5.255 billion has been
spent since 1983. Contrary to other opinions the fund planning is very
long term and numerous assessments have occurred to determine that current
funding is adequate to meet total system life cycle costs. The biggest
complaint voiced in this forum that I can agree with is that it is taking
way too long and costing more than is necessary to get this project going,
which is true. However, the DOE did not make the rules for this program.
NRC and EPA make regulation. The Congress makes law. If you don't like
the way the project is going support the S1287 bill, which seeks to
streamline the regulatory process and move ahead with the project.
The idea that we do not need a repository at all, because we should be
reprocessing is absurd. After you reprocess, where are you going to put
your high level waste? Perhaps we should leave it in large tanks in the
ground until we forget what exactly is in the tank or it leaks. This
solution has been tried previously and lead to the current state of affairs.
The Yucca Mountain Waste Repository will be open for 50 years. At any
point after emplacement and prior to back filling the tunnels, spent fuel
could be removed and reprocessed and the waste returned to the repository.
I would rather reprocess 50 year cooled spent fuel than 10 year cooled
spent fuel. Without a high level waste repository in the US, the Nuclear
Power Industry will never see the revival that this technology deserves.
Andy Tompkins
Woodstock, GA
jatalbq@mindspring.com
At 12:21 PM 2/5/00 -0600, you wrote:
>As a purchaser of electricity I have been paying this money since the fund
>was started. The utilities collect the money and pass it on. The money was
>paid into the U.S. Treasury general fund and spent faster than it came in on
>whatever program came up next.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <Kerembaev@cs.com>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
>Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 11:57 PM
>Subject: Re: Reuters article re: Yucca Mtn.(with the spell check)
>
>
>>
>> In a message dated 2/4/00 8:55:12 Pacific Standard Time,
>> Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us writes:
>>
>> <<
>> Utilities contend it is unfair that they have
>> paid $16 billion since 1983 into a special
>> government fund to help pay for a waste
>> site that is already years behind schedule.
>> The legislation would end those lawsuits. >>
>>
>> I have one on-topic and three off topics questions.
>>
>> Where are these money, now?
>> Does anybody have an idea? Does the term "special" mean only the special
>way of collection? Or it includes saving and spending phases as well.
>> ............
>
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