How will EPAs final standards protect the environment?
The proposed repository sits above an aquifer that is an important resource for the area surrounding Yucca Mountain. The aquifer is being used as a source of drinking water, as well as for irrigation for crops and watering of livestock. In the future, the aquifer could supply water to many more people in the surrounding areas. EPA believes that protecting the ground water at and around Yucca Mountain is critical to preserving the quality of the water for this and future generations. To provide this protection, EPA’s ground-water protection standards for Yucca Mountain use the same level of protection for radionuclides as established under the Safe Drinking Water Act for all U.S. drinking water supplies.
