COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan, Chairman JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York TIMOTHY E. WIRTH, Colorado PHILIP R. SHARP, Indiana JAMES J. FLORIO, New Jersey ANTHONY TOBY MOFFETT, Connecticut JIM SANTINI, Nevada EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts DOUG WALGREN, Pennsylvania BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama W. J. "BILLY" TAUZIN, Louisiana RALPH M. HALL, Texas JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina EDWARD R. MADIGAN, Illinois WILLIAM E. DANNEMEYER, California THOMAS J. BLILEY, JR., Virginia NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1981 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY CONSERVATION AND POWER, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Richard L. Ottinger (chairman) presiding. Mr. OTTINGER. This morning the Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Power begins hearings on the issue of nuclear waste disposal. Although a number of bills on this issue have already been introduced, I believe that before considering any of the various proposals which have been referred to the subcommittee, it would be useful for the subcommittee to first review the status and goals of existing programs in order to identify key issues and determine which of those areas require appropriate congressional action and direction. We are pleased to have appear before the subcommittee Mr. Sheldon Meyers, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy's nuclear waste management and fuel cycle programs, who will present us with an explanation of the status and goals of the administration's nuclear waste programs. The lack of an established method for disposing of nuclear waste is one of the central issues in the debate over nuclear power, and I submit that no matter what is done to accelerate the licensing process for new nuclear reactors, nuclear power will not become a major energy source until the public believes that the nuclear fuel cycle as a whole is reasonably safe. Confidence in the nuclear fuel cycle cannot exist until the Government establishes that nuclear waste can be managed in a safe and environmentally sound manner. I believe that the only convincing method for establishing that nuclear waste can be managed in a safe and environmentally sound manner is to demonstrate that any repository can comply with applicable regulatory standards. Therefore, I strongly favor an approach which would lead to the establishment of a full-scale license repository in the shortest possible time. I am, therefore, concerned about proposals to inject a demonstration phase into this process, for the time required to establish demonstration facilities and to assess the results of such facilities and incorporate the findings of the demonstration phase into an overall program can only delay the establishment of a full-scale repository. Additionally, I feel that any program that includes unlicensed facilities will do nothing to alleviate public concern over the Government's ability to safely manage such waste, and may, in (1) fact, be interpreted as evidence of the Government's inability to do So. If there is a need for test and evaluation facilities, I think it is essential that their size be limited, lest they become the first module of a full-scale facility. The Climax facility in Nevada seems to be an appropriate model, and I believe the Department should expeditiously evaluate the results of this experiment to determine if the site is suitable for use as the location of a national repository. This is particularly so because the site is already contaminated and some spent fuel is presently being stored there. I believe it important that we recognize that the Government's past efforts in regard to the management of nuclear waste does little to instill public confidence. The problem was ignored for too long, and in the first attempt to establish a repository at Lyons, Kans., precipitated a backlash against Government efforts which continues to affect the operation of the program even today. The confusion over the purpose of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N. Mex., has done little to instill public confidence in the process. In view of the history of this program, I believe it essential that we proceed in an orderly fashion, which can best be done through the use of the licensing process. Without it, State and local jurisdictions could raise institutional barriers which could impede and ultimately defeat the goals of this program. Does Mr. Corcoran of minority have a statement? Mr. CORCORAN. No. Mr. OTTINGER. We will leave the record open for that purpose. Mr. Meyers, we are glad to have you with us today to hear from you briefly what the administration has in mind and why. STATEMENT OF SHELDON MEYERS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Mr. MEYERS. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I am pleased to appear before you today to discuss the administration's policies concerning the management of radioactive waste. As Secretary Edwards has indicated in previous testimony to the committee, this administration is convinced that nuclear power can contribute a significant share of the Nation's energy requirement. He has particularly emphasized the importance of providing a solution to the problem of high level waste disposal. The administration policy to accomplish this goal, however, is still evolving. We are responding to influences such as new economic policies and recognition that earlier progress in obtaining the capability for disposing of waste is required to engender confidence in our overall program. As our policy crystallizes, we will be providing you with additional information on our decisions and plans. Mr. OTTINGER. I have this statement already. Do you want to summarize and tell us what you are doing? Mr. MEYERS. The next three paragraphs do that and I can read it, or we can go right into questions. Mr. OTTINGER. Why do we not go right into questions. [Testimony resumes on p. 22] [Mr. Meyers' prepared statement and attachment follow:] |