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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has published the first volume of the agency staff's safety evaluation report on the Department of Energy's license application seeking authorization to construct a high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev. This first volume contains the staff's evaluation of the "General Information" section of the DOE license application, which contains introductory and overview information about the proposed facility and its operation.

Publication of Volume 1 does not represent a licensing decision or indicate what an eventual licensing decision might be. No decision to grant or deny a construction authorization can be made until after completion of the NRC staff's independent technical review of the application, the adjudicatory hearing and subsequent Commission review. This is one of five planned volumes of the NRC staff's safety evaluation report.

The staff currently is continuing its safety review of the application according to the schedule it provided to the Construction Authorization Board conducting the adjudicatory hearing.

DOE submitted the license application on June 3, 2008. On March 3, 2010, DOE filed a motion to withdraw its license application for the Yucca Mountain repository with prejudice. On June 29, the Construction Authorization Board denied the withdrawal motion. DOE's motion to withdraw its application is now before the Commission.

"Safety Evaluation Report Related to Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes in a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Volume 1: General Information" (NUREG-1949, Vol. 1) is available through the NRC's website at this address: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/.

SOURCE: Nuclear Regulatory Commission