Bob Halstead Office of the Governor Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects

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1 Update State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects Presentation to Nevada Legislative Committee on High-Level Radioactive Waste Las Vegas, Nevada August 21, 2012 Bob Halstead Office of the Governor Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects

2 Overview Yucca Mountain Status Report Yucca Mountain Transportation Issues Yucca Mountain Site Alternative Uses Review of DOE West Valley Demonstration Project Waste-Incidental-to-Reprocessing Evaluation (June 2012)

3 Yucca Mountain Status DOE Project terminated, moved to withdraw license application, no FY 2013 funding request NRC Licensing proceeding suspended Congress Zero appropriation for FY 2012, likely zero appropriation in FY 2013 continuing resolution US Court of Appeals holding current case in abeyance until later this year; could require NRC to resume licensing proceeding and meet new deadlines State of Nevada Continues to oppose development of geologic repository, interim storage and/or reprocessing at Yucca Mountain

4 Yucca Mountain Recent Developments Gov. Sandoval s letter to Sen. Parks DOE Task Force on Implementation of Blue Ribbon Commission Recommendations Federal legislation introduced by Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) S Nevada continues to prepare for possible restart of NRC Yucca Mountain licensing proceeding

5 Key Nevada Licensing Contentions Appropriate representation of future climate in area; Selection of models to characterize water flow; Chemical composition of the water that would contact the drip shields (if installed) & waste packages; Corrosion resistance & failure mechanisms of drip shields and waste packages; Sorption of radionuclides to minerals in the rock; Behaviour of radionuclides in the biosphere; Vulnerability of surface facilities to military aircraft crashes; Vulnerability of site to future volcanic events; Failure to comply with the principle of defence -in-depth; & NEPA transportation issues

6 NEPA Transportation Issues Admitted Nevada Contentions Impacts of the Constructing and Operating the Caliente rail line Impacts of using TAD canisters and Overweight Trucks Impacts of Rail and Truck Routes to Yucca Mountain and Impacts within Regions of Influence along Routes Impacts of Severe Transportation Accidents and Successful Terrorist Attacks

7 Nevada Contentions Challenge DOE on Radiological Impacts of Transportation Routine radiation exposure to workers Routine radiation exposure to public Severe accidents resulting in release of radioactive materials Terrorism and sabotage incidents resulting in release of radioactive materials Clean-up costs following severe accident or terrorist incident (could exceed $10 billion)

8 Nevada Contentions Challenge DOE on Las Vegas & Clark County Impacts % of rail shipments through Las Vegas 100 % of truck shipments use Las Vegas Beltway Region of influence (ROI) for radiological impacts is 0.5 miles on each side of route centerline for routine shipments, 50 miles on each side of route centerline for accidents and sabotage Nevada challenges DOE s 2008 assessment of radiological impacts within ROIs along rail and truck routes in the Las Vegas metropolitan area New Nevada analytical work since 2011 uses Google Earth imagery and 2010 US Census data

9 Maximum Rail Shipments to Caliente Through Las Vegas (PIC Study, 1992) Consolidated Southern Routing

10 50 Percent of Rail Shipments to Caliente Through Las Vegas (Suite of Routes, 2007) Black Mountain Research

11 Las Vegas Region of Influence (0.5 mi each side of route) - Routine Radiological Impacts 1-2 Trucks per Week through Metro Las Vegas Rail Casks through Las Vegas to Yucca Mountain via Caliente Minimum 8% Maximum 79% Up to 110 trainloads per year Located in Las Vegas within 0.5 mile (800 m) of Truck Routes to Yucca Mountain : -113,000 Residents Located in Las Vegas within 0.5 mile (800 m) of UPRR Route to Caliente : -95,000 Residents -34 Hotels, 49,000 Hotel Rooms -40,000 Visitors & Workers

12 Las Vegas Rail ROI New Google Earth Analysis

13 Las Vegas Rail ROI New Google Earth Analysis Metro

14 NDOT B Route Possible Alternative Route to Yucca Mountain US6 - Murry Summit US93/50/6- Ely To downtown ELY US95 - Goldfield U.S. 50 to U.S. 6 v Great Basin Blvd. MEI#2 10 m 10 m MEI#1 21 m Mini-Mart US93/50/6- Ely U.S. 93

15 Yucca Mountain Site GAO 2011 Report on Alternative Uses GAO survey of federal agency reports & expert opinion considered 5 user categories: o Nuclear or Radiological o Defense and Homeland Security o Information Technology o Energy Development or Storage o Scientific Research No recommendations about preferred use or best alternative use Challenges include continued uncertainty about repository, mining claims, divided federal agency control, security concerns, and regulatory approvals Accepts DOE licensing application assertion area of low seismicity and earthquake potential. [p.13]

16 Yucca Mountain Site Unsuitable for Reprocessing No Rail Access Reprocessing facility would require about 2,900 truck shipments per year, using routes through Las Vegas metro area Inadequate Water Resources Reprocessing facility would require 1,000 acre/feet per year or more Seismic Hazards to Surface Facilities Based on 2008 USGS maps, site is located in a moderate to high ground acceleration area; within 10 miles of the Little Skull Mountain (5.6 magnitude) earthquake epicenter; and miles from 3 active faults with potential earthquake magnitude of

17 Yucca Mountain Site Little Skull Mountain 1992 Earthquake

18 State of Nevada Comments to DOE on West Valley Waste Disposal Evaluation DOE evaluating potential disposal as LLW at NNSS of melter and feed tanks used to vitrify HLW from reprocessing of SNF at West Valley NY Nevada: this contaminated equipment is the result of a commercial reprocessing operation, and would more appropriately be disposed of at a NRC-licensed LLW disposal facility Transportation by rail and heavy haul truck would cause unacceptable impacts in Nevada Proposed transportation for disposal is not consistent with DOE Draft Site-Wide EIS for NNSS

19 Typical Heavy Haul Truck Configuration for Transport of West Valley Wastes

Yucca Mountain Update and Transportation Impacts Robert J. Halstead Office of the Governor Nevada Agency for Nuclear U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter

Yucca Mountain Update and Transportation Impacts Robert J. Halstead Office of the Governor Nevada Agency for Nuclear U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting Washington, DC January 24, 2018 Visit our website: