Mineral County Nuclear Waste Oversight Project

Blue Ribbon Commission

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future

“The Commission should conduct a comprehensive review of policies for
managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including all alternatives
for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense used nuclear
fuel and nuclear waste. This review should include an evaluation of advanced
fuel cycle technologies that would optimize energy recovery, resource utilization,
and the minimization of materials derived from nuclear activities in
a manner consistent with U.S. nonproliferation goals.” From the January 29, 2010 - Federal Register Notice of Presidential Memorandum on the Commission

NV. State Legislature

Nevada State Legislature Committed on High Level Waste Video webcasts link

Analysis of Postclosure Groundwater Impacts

DOE has decided not to complete the EIS but rather has used the material prepared for the Supplement to develop the Analysis of Postclosure Groundwater Impacts for a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain.

Analysis of Postclosure Groundwater Impacts for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada

Welcome to Mineral County's Yucca Mountain Oversight Program on-line:

Mineral County Yucca Mountain Oversight Program was created when the Nuclear Waste Policy Act as amended NWPA, designated the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada as the only site to be considered for a geologic repository for disposal of spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste. The NWPA also provided for the Affected Units of Local Government (AULG) within the vicinity of Yucca Mountain to oversee and participate in the Yucca Mountain Project. By affording AULG participation rights, Congress sought to increase public confidence in the scientific integrity of the repository program, provide citizens the means to interact with the federal government, and demonstrate a commitment to external oversight.

What's happening with Yucca Mountain - Timeline

Mineral County's programs on-going task and goals:

We review activities of:

The Department of Energy (DOE), Yucca Mountain Project (YMP),

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB),

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW), and;

Other related agencies to analyze any potential economic, social, public health and safety impacts the proposed repository might have on Mineral County residents under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.

We continue to review and analyze project activities which include tracking national transportation routes and modes of transportation and any other transportation activities that have potential impacts to Mineral County residents and/or visitors regarding the possible shipment of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel through Mineral County along the U.S. 95 highway corridor.

We are conducting analysis with respect to property value impacts and other potential land use impacts that have probable economic and health and safety issues related to the DOE EIS supplemental for, and environmental impacts regarding high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel that may be shipped through Mineral County en route to Yucca Mountain. (Please see our publications page)

We are preparing optimal land use analyses utilizing the Mineral County’s GIS data that will incorporate findings of the risk perception and property value impacts regarding high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel that may be shipped by truck through Mineral County and provide this information to the Mineral County elected officials and the public.

Funding provided to Mineral County and all the Affected Units of Local Government (AULG) is paid by users of electricity generated by nuclear power plants. Under a general contract with nuclear generating utilities, the federal government collects a fee of one-mill (one-tenth a cent) per kilowatt-hour from utility companies for nuclear generated electricity. The money goes into the nuclear waste fund which is used to fund all program related activities.

Contact us:
Mineral County Nuclear Projects Office
Linda Mathias, Director
P.O. Box 1600
Hawthorne, NV 89415