Yucca Mountain Nuclear waste Nuclear power Newe Sogobia

Comment for the Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Yucca Mountain Repository Environmental Impact Statement
Updated 12/3/06

The U.S. Department of Energy (Department) has issued a notice of intent for 45 days of public comment beginning October 13, 2006. The comment period closes December 12, 2006.

Add your voice and demand responsibility and accountability from the U.S. government to protect the environment and honor the human rights of the Western Shoshone Nation. Please read and take action!

For excellent talking points, please visit our friends at Healing Ourselves and Mother Earth

Read the Federal Registry notice Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada [pdf]

Potential Rail, Barge and Truck Routes to Yucca Mountain

The following is from the DOE website. There is a link for the comment form below

The DOE invites comments on the scope of the Supplemental YM Repository EIS to ensure that all relevant environmental issues are addressed. Since publication of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, DOE has continued to develop the repository design and associated plans. As now planned, the proposed surface and subsurface facilities would allow DOE to operate the repository following a primarily canistered approach in which most commercial spent nuclear fuel would be packaged at the commercial sites in multipurpose transport, aging and disposal canisters (TADs), and all DOE materials would be packaged in disposable canisters at the DOE sites. Waste packages would be arrayed in the repository underground to achieve what is referred to as a higher-thermal operating mode, and most spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste would arrive at the repository by rail.

To evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the current repository design and operational plans, DOE has decided to prepare a Supplement to the Yucca Mountain Final EIS. Scoping will help define the scope of the Supplemental YM Repository EIS.

To facilitate the scoping process, DOE has identified a preliminary list of issues and environmental resources that it may consider in the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS. The list is not intended to be all-inclusive, but should be used as a starting point for public input on the scope of the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS.

* Radiological releases. The potential impacts (i.e., latent cancer fatalities) to the public and workers from potential radiological releases during routine loading of canisters and transportation casks at the commercial sites, and from handling and disposal operations at the repository.

* Worker safety and health. Potential health and safety impacts (i.e., injuries and fatalities) to workers during handling and disposal operations at the commercial and DOE sites and the repository.

* Transportation. The potential radiological and non-radiological impacts (i.e., traffic injuries and fatalities) to the public and workers associated with the shipment of materials to the repository under the mostly rail scenario.

* Accidents. The potential radiological impacts to workers and the public from reasonably foreseeable accidents during loading of canisters at the sites, transportation and repository operations, including any accidents with low probability but high potential consequences.

* Sabotage. The potential radiological impacts to workers and the public from sabotage of transportation and repository operations.

* Waste isolation. Potential radiological and non-radiological impacts (e.g., chemically toxic materials) associated with the long-term performance of the repository.

* Socioeconomic conditions. Potential local regional socioeconomic impacts to the surrounding communities from construction, operation and closure of the repository.

* Water and air resources. Potential impacts to air resources, and water quality and use.

* Cultural resources. Potential impacts to archaeological and historic resources and American Indian issues of concern.

* Biological resources. Potential impacts to plants, animals and their habitats, including impacts to endangered and threatened species.

* Cumulative impacts from the Proposed Action and other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions.

* Environmental justice. Potential for disproportionately high and adverse impacts on minority or low-income populations.

Write or fax your comments by December 12, 2006, to: Dr. Jane Summerson, EIS Document Manager, Regulatory Authority Office, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 1551 Hillshire Drive, M/S 010, Las Vegas,
NV 89134, telephone 1-800-967-3477, facsimile 1-800-967-0739.

You can also request more information and e-mail comments via the Internet at www.ocrwm.doe.gov.

Please submit your comments using the form on the DOE website

The State of Nevada's website on Yucca Mountain and other nuclear issues