Consolidated “Interim” Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste-- Prevent a Disaster by Rejecting This Risky Plan

A multigroup letter to Congress opposes the creation of consolidated interim storage facilities for high-level radioactive waste, citing extreme transportation risks, potential environmental contamination in Texas and New Mexico, and strong local and public opposition.

• The authors argue that consolidated interim storage is a counterproductive and risky strategy that involves transporting over 100,000 tons of irradiated nuclear fuel across the country. They claim this process would create new radioactive sites and that the 'interim' sites could become de facto permanent repositories, potentially leading to plutonium proliferation and the reprocessing of nuclear waste.
• Two specific license applications for consolidated storage are identified as being under challenge: Waste Control Specialists (WCS), which proposes bringing 40,000 tons of waste to Andrews County, Texas, for 40 to 100 years; and Holtec International, which proposes storing up to 173,000 tons of waste for 40 to 120 years at a site between Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico.
• The letter highlights severe transportation and safety risks, noting that over 10,000 shipments would travel through nearly 90% of Congressional districts over 20 to 40 years. Concerns include rail loads exceeding track ratings by up to 38%, the potential for 1,370 latent cancer fatalities from a single rail accident, and estimated accident costs between $145 billion and $270 billion based on a 2003 study.
• There is significant documented opposition to these plans from local governments, industry groups, and the public. This includes resolutions passed by various counties and cities in Texas and New Mexico, opposition from oil and ranching coalitions, and over 70,000 public comments submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2019). Consolidated “Interim” Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste-- Prevent a Disaster by Rejecting This Risky Plan. https://www.eesi.org/files/Letter_to_Congress-Groups_Oppose_Nuclear_Waste_Consolidated_Interim_Storage_Facilities.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Consolidated “Interim” Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste-- Prevent a Disaster by Rejecting This Risky Plan. 2019. https://www.eesi.org/files/Letter_to_Congress-Groups_Oppose_Nuclear_Waste_Consolidated_Interim_Storage_Facilities.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Consolidated “Interim” Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste-- Prevent a Disaster by Rejecting This Risky Plan |date=12 March 2019 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Letter_to_Congress-Groups_Oppose_Nuclear_Waste_Consolidated_Interim_Storage_Facilities.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2019consolidated, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Consolidated “Interim” Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste-- Prevent a Disaster by Rejecting This Risky Plan}}, publisher = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Letter_to_Congress-Groups_Oppose_Nuclear_Waste_Consolidated_Interim_Storage_Facilities.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }