The U.S. Department of Energy is studying Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to determine if it's a suitable place to build a geologic repository for the nation's commercial and defense spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.

Department of Energy Notifies Nevada of Intent to Recommend Yucca Mountain as National Nuclear Waste Repository

Sound Science & Compelling National Interests Lead to Secretary's Recommendation
of Yucca Mountain

Washington, D.C. - As required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today notified Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn and the Nevada Legislature that he intends to recommend to President Bush that the Yucca Mountain site is scientifically sound and suitable for development as the nation's long-term geological repository for nuclear waste, which will help ensure America's national security and secure disposal of nuclear waste, provide for a cleaner environment, and support energy security.

The Secretary of Energy phoned Governor Guinn at 2:10 p.m. to inform the Governor of his decision. The Secretary's letter of notification was transmitted to Governor Guinn and the Nevada Legislature immediately following the call. Following is the text of the notification letter:

Thursday, January 10, 2002
Dear Governor Guinn:

This letter is to notify you, in accordance with section 114(a)(1) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, of my intention to recommend to the President approval of the Yucca Mountain site for the development of a nuclear waste repository. In accordance with the requirements of the Act, I will be submitting my recommendation to the President no sooner than 30 days from this date. At that time, as the Act also requires, I will be submitting to the President a comprehensive statement of the basis for that recommendation. First, and most important, that recommendation will include the basis for and documentation supporting my belief that the science behind this project is sound and that the site is technically suitable for this purpose. Second, there are compelling national interests that require us to complete the siting process and move forward with the development of a repository, as Congress mandated almost 20 years ago. In brief, the reasons are these:

A repository is important to our national security. We must advance our non-proliferation goals by providing a secure place to dispose of any spent fuel and other waste products that result from decommissioning unneeded nuclear weapons, and ensure the effective operations of our nuclear Navy by providing a secure place to dispose of its spent nuclear fuel.

A repository is important to the secure disposal of nuclear waste. Spent nuclear fuel, high level radioactive waste, and excess plutonium for which there is no complete disposal pathway without a repository are currently stored at over 131 sites in 39 States. We should consolidate the nuclear wastes to enhance protection against terrorists attacks by moving them to one underground location that is far from population centers.

A repository is important to our energy security. We must ensure that nuclear power, which provides 20% of the nation's electric power, remains an important part of our domestic energy production.

And a repository is important to our efforts to protect the environment. We must clean up our defense waste sites permanently and safely dispose of other high level nuclear waste.

As I indicated earlier, pursuant to section 114(a) of the NWPA, I will be submitting my recommendation to the President no earlier than 30 days from today, together with the other documentation the statute requires. I will provide you with a copy of those materials at that time.

Sincerely
signed
Spencer Abraham
Secretary of Energy

In addition to the notification letter, the Department also released today a document entitled Yucca Mountain "Commonly Raised Topics," which includes a map of nuclear-waste sites. This document is reflective of the most commonly raised topics and includes a description of the step-by-step decision process as required by law.

In addition, as required by law, the Secretary of Energy's basis for recommendation and supporting materials will be available to the public once the formal recommendation is delivered to the President.

For an online copy of the "Commonly Raised Topics," a map* of the nuclear waste-related sites, and the Secretary's letter to Governor Guinn, visit the Department of Energy's website: www.energy.gov.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2001 -- Even before Sept. 11, the world was changing. A Navy admiral and Army lieutenant general addressed the role of military power in this changing environment during the Fletcher Conference here Nov. 14.

Rear Adm. Kathleen K. Paige told the audience of senior military and civilian officials that Sept. 11 exposed the dangers America faces. Paige, systems technical director at the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, said the attacks in New York and Washington hammered home the point that ballistic missiles are terrorist weapons.

Army Lt. Gen. Edward G. Anderson III, deputy commander inchief of U.S. Space Command, said American ability tocontrol space and cyberspace will determine whether U.S. combatant commanders will succeed. Paige said DoD recognized nearly a decade ago -- following Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War and post-war inspections imposed on Iraq -- that weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them could pose a true asymmetrical threat to the United States. Defending against such a threat is a change in the military mission.

DoD has refocused and revitalized its missile defense program, she noted. It is now a broad-based research, development and testing effort aimed at deployment. She said the events of Sept. 11 showed the nation that missile defense is necessary to defend against terrorist threats.

The number of countries developing ballistic missiles has skyrocketed over the last 30 years, and any such missile can be a terrorist weapon regardless of its range. A short-range missile, she said, could fly from Iraq to Tel Aviv. A medium-range missile can reach from North Korea to Japan. An intermediate-range missile could hit London from Libya. An intercontinental missile can hit the United States from anywhere around the globe.

The U.S. ballistic missile defense effort no longer differentiates between theater and strategic missiles, Paige said. Further, the United States is trying to develop the ability to shoot down missiles in all stages of flight -- boost-phase, mid-flight and terminal.

The United States must meet this challenge, she said, because the melding of terrorism, missiles and weapons of mass destruction could mean tens of thousands of casualties in the next attack. Missile defense is important to the United States and its' holdings, Paige said, because it allows America to address the "unknowns" it will confront in the changing world.

Anderson said space and cyberspace are absolutely crucial to U.S. military success. Regional commanders in chief no longer view space and cyberspace as "enablers," he said, but as core warfighting competencies.Anderson said U.S. Space Command is working to provide U.S. Central Command with real-time situational awareness for its fight in Afghanistan. Space Command links warfighters across long distances, provides navigation and timing, and helps with terrestrial and space weather and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.

American military power depends on the United States remaining a leader in space and information superiority, Anderson said. "We will be hallenged," he remarked.He discussed some promising technologies. He mentioned a space-based moving target indicator that would permit surveillance without the need for overflight rights or landing permissions. Another technology is hyperspectral imagery, which can see through camouflage.Anderson wants DoD to examine space-based laser communications "to give us the opportunity to move bulk information both into and out of the theater of operations."We must translate these technologies," he said. "We need to translate them into our joint and combined forces. We need real-time communications between sensors and shooters and shooters and commanders. A global area of operations requires global reach."