Management and Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste
History of political uncertainty with
the federal government
For more than 50 years, our nation has struggled to address
disposal of nuclear waste. Former Secretary of Energy
Steven Chu called it "one of our nation's most intractable
challenges."
Over the years, Tennessee, New Mexico, Washington, Texas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota,
New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin
have opposed "interim" or permanent storage of these
wastes in their states. Much of this opposition has been
grounded in the lack of trust and certainty with the federal
government, based on a record of broken promises, missed
timelines, changing scientific guidelines, political
interference and disregard of state input.
A successful waste management strategy will need
consistent policy, funding, and leadership, especially
since any strategy will take decades to implement.
U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017,
Disposal of High-level Nuclear Waste Issue Summary
Are we willing to ignore the experience
history would provide us for the siren
song of promised economic benefits and
a policy that is clearly a moving target.
As Governor, I am not. ...I am absolutely
unpersuaded that Wyoming can rely on
the assurances we receive from the
federal government....there can be no
guarantees or even assurances that the
federal government's attitudes or
policies will be the same one, five, ten
or 50 years from now. We have seen the
roller coaster ride of federal
involvement and attitudes.
- Governor Mike Sullivan, 1992, MRS veto letter
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