Role of politics in waste dispute

More than a decade after Congress handed the issue of low-level nuclear-waste disposal to the states, the issue remains contentious and unresolved. Only one disposal site remains in operation in the country; no new sites have opened; and few of the dozen or so planned sites have even reached the licensing phase. Daunting problems have been encountered in attempts to site new facilities. The idea of compacts among several states for operation of regional facilities has run into problems largely because political issues have arisen over how to divide responsibilities. Concerns about future volumes of waste and the cost of disposal also cloud the picture. Disposal costs have increased from about $1 to $40 to $50 per cubic foot over the past 15 years. More elaborate facilities being demanded for future sites may drive costs up to $100 to $500 per cubic foot. The best chance for successful location of a disposal facility is through community participation, both in site selection and in monitoring the facility after it is built