Re: RADSAFE digest 3135

["ruth_weiner" <ruth_weiner@email.msn.com>]

The proposed high-level waste repository was never proposed to be temporary
( or "temporary") but permanent.  This is readily confirmed by the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act of 1982.  The decision to characterize only the Yucca
Mountain site was made by Congress in the 1987 amendments to the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act.  The suitability (or unsuitability) of the Yucca Mountain
site is to be decided by Congress subsequent to publication of the site
characterization report and its presentation to Congress.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Yucca Mountain Site was
issued in July, 1999, and there have been a large number of public hearings
and extensive comments on this document.  The DEIS is available on the web
via www.ymp.gov or from the DOE home page.

What is proposed to be buried at Yucca Mountain is indeed not "trash" to
many people (including me).  I would myself favor processing (called
"reprocessing") the spent nuclear fuel to recover both fissile material and
useful radioisotopes.  While this would probably not reduce the waste
volume, it would, it seems to me, reduce the specific activity, particularly
if strontium and cesium were recovered.

Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Norman & Karen Cohen <norco@bellatlantic.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Sunday, April 30, 2000 10:34 PM
Subject: Re: RADSAFE digest 3135


>Michael,
>
>I'd say that w would be deeply concerned that if the govt get the OK to put
all
>the spent fuel rods under Yucca mountain, that a supposedly "temporary"
>repository will become quite permanent. And there are many problems with
Yucca,
>from seismic activity to ground water flow, as well as the dangers of
moving all
>this "untrash" :) from every nuke to Nevada.
>
>norm
>
>"Kent, Michael D" wrote:
>
>> The "trash" you refer to Norm under Yucca Mountain is not at all trash,
it
>> is spent fuel rods, which still have an enormous amount of energy
(Uranium)
>> left in them; and the government is not going to bury it them there.
>>
>> If you took the time to read from a REPUTIBLE source what the
>> industry/government is trying to accomplish with Yucca Mountain, then you
>> would know it will serve as a centralized repository for the spent fuel.
>> This will be until the time in which it is deemed needed for reprocessing
or
>> a better way is found to dispose of it on a more permanent basis.
>>
>> Norm you seem like sensible individual who is open to discussion.  Maybe
you
>> can explain this, and properly educate all the personnel involve with
your
>> various organizations.
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Michael D. Kent RRPT
>> ************************************************************************
>> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
>
>--
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>and Justice is a chapter of Peace Action.
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Chapin
>Carpenter)
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>
>
>
>
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html