Snake River Alliance

8/12/2019 Snake River Alliance

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Idaho: A

Non-ConsentState

Presentation to the

Idaho LINE CommissionJune 29, 2012

Liz Woodruff, Executive Director


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The Snake River Alliance

MISSION

The Snake River Allianceserves as Idaho's nuclearwatchdog and Idaho'sadvocate for renewable andnuclear-free energy. We raisecommunity awareness aboutthe dangers of nuclear waste,

weapons and power whileworking to identify andpromote sustainablealternatives. We do our workthrough advocacy,

collaboration, education andgrassroots organizing.

VISION

We envision responsible

solutions to nuclear waste anda nuclear-free future. We seek

to strengthen Idaho's economy

and communities through the

implementation of renewable

energy sources in Idaho andthe promotion of energy

efficiency and conservation.


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The Alliance is a

statewide,member-based

organization


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We do our

work through

outreach,


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We do our

work through

outreach,education,


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We do our

work through

outreach,education,

and advocacy.


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Idaho is a Non-Consent State

Robert Erkins, Buhltrout farmer, forwardsconcerns to GovernorDon Samuelson about

nuclear waste abovethe aquifer.

Governor Andrus andSenator Church ask the

Atomic EnergyCommission for assurances

that Idaho was not beingconsidered as an interim

storage site for high-levelwaste.

Governors BlueRibbon Commissiondeclines to endorse

commercial spent fuelstorage in Idaho.

1969

1973

1974


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State of Idaho bansplutonium-

contaminated wasteshipments from

Rocky Flats Plant,Colorado.

State of Idaho sues andunsuccessfully seeks

injunction against Ft. St.

Vrain commercial spentfuel shipment.

State of Idaho tries tostop Ft. St. Vrain

commercial spent fuelshipments in federalCourt of Appeals andUS Supreme Court.

1988

1991

1992


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Federal District Courtgrants State of Idahos

request for an

injunction stoppingspent fuel shipments.

State of Idaho, US Departmentof Energy, and US Navy sign

agreement that reaffirmscleanup commitments and

regulates what waste can andcannot come to Idaho (and

under what circumstances) and

what waste must leave (most bydates certain).

Statewide referendumpitted Stop the

Shipments, whichopposed the

agreement as beingtoo weak, against Get

the Waste Out, whichsupported it.

1993

1995

1996


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During these same decades the Shoshone-Bannock

Tribes were pushing back against nuclear waste

shipments crossing the Fort Hall Reservation


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Idahos Nuclear

Past


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36 Metric Tons of Nuclear NavyWaste Still Stored at INL

= 10 metric tons


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246 metric tons of non-defensespent fuel still at INL

= 10 metric tons


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282 metric tonsTOTAL spent fuel at INL

= 10 metric tons


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Idaho hosts 250 different types ofintensely radioactive spent fuel

From US and foreign researchreactors

Commercial demonstrationreactors such as PeachBottom

The core debris from Three-Mile Island

Almost all of INLs own wastefrom its 52 nuclear reactors


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Idahos NuclearPresentAverage of 20 shipments of

nuclear navy waste each year

Controlled amounts of spent

fuel from research reactors

here and abroad (foreign

shipments end in 2019)

Since 2011researchquantities of spent nuclear

fuel may come to Idaho


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Not Allowed into Idaho


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282 metric tonsTOTAL spent fuel at INL

= 10 metric tons

W t f O ti d Sh t


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Waste from Operating and Shut-Down Commercial Nuclear Reactors

Nearly 3,000 metric tons from already closed reactors

= 100metric tons

62,000 metric tons from currently operating reactors


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Idaho is Too Great


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BRC Recommendations

1. A new, consent-based approach to siting future nuclear waste management facilities.

2. A new organization dedicated solely to implementing the waste managementprogram and empowered with the authority and resources to succeed.

3. Access to the funds nuclear utility ratepayers are providing for the purpose of nuclear

waste management.

4. Prompt efforts to develop one or more geologic disposal facilities.

5. Prompt efforts to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities.

6. Prompt efforts to prepare for the eventual large-scale transport of spent nuclear fueland high-level waste to consolidated storage and disposal facilities when suchfacilities become available.

7. Support for continued U.S. innovation in nuclear energy technology and for workforcedevelopment.

8. Active U.S. leadership in international efforts to address safety, waste management,non-proliferation, and security concerns.

1. A new, consent-based approach to siting future

nuclear waste management facilities.

5. Prompt efforts to develop one or more consolidated

storage facilities.


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Nuclear Research at INL

If needed, should be:

Purposeful Necessary

Focused

Conducted to

solve real, discretesocietal needs

Not reprocessing


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BRC Does Not RecommendReprocessing

It is the Commissions viewthat it would be premature for

the United States to commit, asa matter of policy, to closingthe nuclear fuel cycle given thelarge uncertainties that existabout the merits andcommercial viability ofdifferent fuel cycles andtechnology options.


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Clean-Up Cannot be Jeopardized

Liquid sodium-bearing high-level waste must be removed from theburied tanks and dried.

The buried tanks must be cleaned out and closed.

The calcined, or dried, high-level waste must be removed from thebins and put in a solid not powdered form.

An engineered cap or caps must be built at the Idaho NuclearTechnology and Engineering Center so precipitation doesnt driveremaining contamination down to the aquifer.

Targeted plutonium-contaminated waste must exhumed.

The entire 97-acre burial grounds must be covered with anengineered cap so precipitation doesnt drive remainingcontamination down to the aquifer.


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The Idaho LINE Commission

Full transparency

Full access to meetings (noclosed meetings)

Adequate access to publiccomment to the commission

Recommendations that reflectIdahoans concerns

Recommendations that keepwhole the 1995 Agreement andIdahos long-history ofopposition to commercialradioactive waste


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www.snakeriveralliance.org

Boise: 208.344.9161

Pocatello: [email protected]

Snake River Alliance

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