Dear friend, We need your voice. The Department of Energy is holding an initial public meeting next week about renewing “consent-based” siting of nuclear dumps, such as Holtec in New Mexico and Interim Storage Partners (ISP) in Texas. This is a dangerous ruse: DOE can’t ask communities to consent to a nuclear waste scheme that is not even legal. On Tuesday, December 7th, the DOE is holding a virtual Q&A to gather information about its idea to revive “consent-based” siting of supposedly-temporary nuclear waste sites - Consolidated “Interim” Storage (CIS) Sites - and decades-long transport of nuclear power irradiated (“spent”) fuel. Texas and New Mexico are the main targets, despite the DOE’s negligence to ever hold a meeting in either state during its first round of “consent-based” nuclear dump siting in 2016. |
|
TALKING POINTS - Consolidated "interim" storage is illegal under the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. DOE cannot legally create “interim” storage for nuclear waste until a permanent repository exists. It should not be pursuing illegal nuclear waste sites.
- Safer on-site storage for nuclear waste is needed. DOE could use the resources from Congress for hardened on-site storage (HOSS) at nearby locations where the waste is now. The waste cannot move for many years no matter what new sites are opened and needs to be secure where it is or very nearby. HOSS is supported by groups in all 50 states. All sites need for HOSS are dry transfer facilities to re-containerize waste.
QUESTIONS TO ASK DOE - What prevents a supposedly “interim” site from becoming de facto permanent?
- How does DOE‘s “consent-based” siting comply with federal requirements for Environmental Justice and Indigenous nations’ sovereignty and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
- How can we know if future generations consent to the dangerous waste generated during our and our parents'/grandparents' lives?
- Why is this meeting being held with very little advance notice to the public?
- Why does DOE ignore communities and states that do not consent?
|
|
