What is the status of the Yucca Mountain project?
Yucca Mountain was officially designated as the site to store the nation’s spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste in 2002. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham recommended the site to President George W. Bush, who approved it. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn vetoed the decision, but the veto was overturned by Congress in July 2002. The Department of Energy (DOE) has subsequently been working on a license application for Yucca Mountain. The DOE must apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a license to build the repository before any construction can begin. The DOE plans to submit its application by late December 2004. Once submitted, the license application will be reviewed by the NRC for three or four years before the Commission makes a decision. For more current information plese see our “What’s New” page or see Yucca Mountain’s timeline, visit our timeline page repository licensing proceedings, visit our licensing center waste transportation, visit our transportation page l
