The court said NRC must prepare an environmental impact statement or make a formal finding of “no significant environmental impact” concerning how radioactive waste is stored. NRC has not considered the full environmental effects of the lack of a permanent site to store radioactive waste, according to the court. An NRC determination that waste could be safely stored on-site for 60 years after a power plant is shut down is also inadequate, the court said. The ruling may require NRC to consider the consequences of continued generation of highly radioactive waste when making licensing decisions for nuclear power plants. NRC is examining the implications of the judicial decision. /articles/90/i25/NRC-Told-Review-Waste-Policies.html 20120618 Concentrates 90 25 /magazine/90/09025.html NRC Told To Review Waste Policies NRC, radioactive waste, Yucca Mountain con govpol Jeff Johnson environment Nuclear waste is now held in pools or dry casks, such as these at Diablo Canyon, in California. NRC file photo A photo of two large grey cylinders against a blue sky. nuclear nuclear waste storage NRC Told To Review Waste Policies Chemical & Engineering News NRC Told To Review Waste Policies NRC Told To Review Waste Policies
by Jeff Johnson | June 18, 2012
Before the March 2002 discovery, Davis Besse had been considered by NRC to be a model facility with a flawless safety rating, based on the company-run inspection system and NRC's audits. Because of a decade of glowing reports filed with NRC by FirstEnergy, NRC had even reduced oversight at the plant.
by JEFF JOHNSON | May 12, 2003
—GAO faults NRC for oversight of nuclear plant security plans “” The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is relying too heavily on nuclear power plant owners to verify the adequacy of their terrorism security plans, says a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO-04-1064T). Still, GAO applauds the new requirements enacted by NRC to toughen security requirements for the nation's 103 commercial nuclear power reactors. The new security plans are to be in place by October 2004, but GAO says NRC's oversight of the plans has been mostly a paper exercise, based on a template supplied by industry, which lacks site-specific information. The commission also intends to rely on force-on-force security exercises, but these tests will not be completed for another three years, GAO says, adding the warning that NRC is considering having the exercises conducted by an industry-selected firm, which currently provides guards to half its facilities. The report notes that the plans have been made off-limits to the public because of security constraints, and, therefore, NRC's role in verifying their value is of key importance. The report was offered at a House hearing in which a GAO official said NRC should consider seeking an alternative funding source, rather than relying on industry fees. NRC officials strongly questioned GAO's view, as did an industry spokesman who said the nuclear industry had paid out more than $1 billion and increased security officers from 5,000 to 8,000 to comply with new NRC security measures. /articles/82/i38/GAO-faults-NRC-oversight-nuclear.html 20040920 Concentrates 82 38 /magazine/82/8238.html GAO faults NRC for oversight of nuclear plant security plans con govpol policy GAO faults NRC for oversight of nuclear plant security plans Chemical & Engineering News GAO faults NRC for oversight of nuclear plant security plans GAO Faults NRC for Oversight of Nuclear Plant Security Plans
September 20, 2004
—NRC Mulls 80-Year License For Reactors “” The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering whether to extend licenses for operating commercial nuclear power plants to run up to 80 years. NRC staff members revealed this plan in late May to a joint meeting of commissioners from NRC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
by Jeff Johnson | June 09, 2014
—Nevada sues NRC over Yucca license “” Nevada has filed a lawsuit against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that accuses the agency of prejud ging the outcome of the Department of Energy's upcoming application for a license to open a nuclear waste disposal facility at Yucca Mountain, in Nevada.
September 12, 2005
These are two of the main findings of a new study of NRC, the think tank arm of the National Academies in Washington, D.C. The study was carried out by an independent review panel in much the same way that NRC conducts its own studies of issues in science and engineering. In fact, the study was commissioned by NRC's governing body, and the 15-member study panel assembled following normal NRC procedures. The cost and timeliness problems can be attributed in part to the fact that fully 30% of NRC studies are coordinated by staffers who are doing the work for the first time, the task force says. NRC, like many consulting firms, experiences significant staff turnover, explains NRC Executive Officer William Colglazier.
by William Schulz | September 04, 2000
—Senate Takes Up Two NRC Nominees “Nuclear Panel: Partisan split may not stymie confirmation” The Senate last week began consideration of two nominees to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Allison Macfarlane, a geologist and professor at Virginia’s George Mason University, and Kristine L. Svinicki, a nuclear engineer and current NRC member.
by Jeff Johnson | June 18, 2012
—NRC, court deal blows to Yucca Mountain plan “” An appellate court and a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) board took actions recently that make it unlikely that the Department of Energy will reach its goal of completing a federal license application for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository by this December.
September 13, 2004
—NRC Floats New Nuke Retirement Rules “” The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is working on new rules that aim to speed up the decommissioning of nuclear power reactors and reduce costs. In an upcoming proposal, NRC hopes to reduce the need for exemptions and amendments often sought by licensees during decommissioning.
by Jessica Morrison | November 30, 2015