January 11, 2016

The Department of Energy (DOE) is launching an initiative to find a long-term solution for dealing with U.S. radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Based on a 2013 report from the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, their new strategy will attempt to protect public health, safety, and the environment while identifying facilities for both interim storage and long-term geologic repositories.

DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, which received an 8 percent increase in funding in the fiscal year 2016 omnibus spending bill, will oversee the initiative. Due to the shutdown of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the nation’s sole geological repository for nuclear weapons waste, from a fire in 2014, the Office of Nuclear Energy has decided to focus on identifying long-term geologic repositories first. They will work with DOE’s Office of Environmental Management to find a solution to the country’s need for a permanent nuclear waste disposal site.

To learn more, visit the DOE fact sheet on nuclear waste disposal.

Sources: E&E News, Department of Energy (DOE)