Welcome to Mineral County's Yucca Mountain Oversight Progam 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?

Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following in August 2010:

Safety Evaluation Report Related to Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes in a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada Volume 1: General Information

Timeline 2010 Updated

June 30: Ruling keeps Yucca Mountain alive
"We conclude that Congress directed both that DOE file the application, and that the NRC consider the application and issue a final merits-based decision," the judges said. "Unless Congress directs otherwise, DOE may not single-handedly derail the legislated decision-making process by withdrawing the application."

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

We review activities of:

• The Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Civilian Radiation Waste Management (OCRWM), 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

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