Gordon Introduces Bill To Ban Importation Of Foreign-Generated Nuclear Waste

March 13, 2008, WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) introduced legislation today to ban the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from authorizing importation of foreign-generated nuclear waste.

“No other country in the world is accepting nuclear waste from other countries,” said Gordon. “By doing so, the United States is putting itself in position to become the world’s nuclear dumping ground.”

The bill, sponsored by Gordon and fellow House Energy and Commerce Committee members Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY), would prohibit the importation of nuclear waste unless the material originated within the United States. The president could grant specific exemptions only if an application showed importation would serve a national or international policy goal, such as a research purpose.

The issue has gained notoriety recently because of a Utah-based company’s application to import 20,000 tons of waste from decommissioned nuclear reactors in Italy. According to its application, EnergySolutions would process the waste in Tennessee and dispose of it at a site in Clive, Utah.

“The United States has only a finite amount of space available for disposal of nuclear waste,” said Gordon. “Importing foreign waste for the purpose of disposal does not serve American interests; it serves a company’s financial interest.”

EnergySolutions disposes of more than 90 percent of the low-level radioactive waste generated in the United States through a license granted by the State of Utah and with the permission of the Northwest Interstate Compact on Low-level Radioactive Waste Management. Federal regulations require the approval of the state and the compact in which the disposal site is located.

Gordon, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee, has contacted the NRC, the compact and governors of the compact’s member states regarding his opposition to EnergySolutions’ application.

The NRC is accepting public comments on EnergySolutions’ application through June 10 via e-mail at hearingdocket@nrc.gov or via postal mail at Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications. All correspondence should reference EnergySolutions Import License Application IW023.