Department of Energy authorizations for fiscal year 1981. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-Sixth Congress, Second Session

A February 25, 1980 hearing on DOE appropriations for civilian programs focused on plans to develop and meet the licensing requirements for commercial repositories of high-level wastes and plans for an away-from-reactor (AFR) interim storage for low-level wastes and spent fuel storage. The text of H.R. 6627 is followed by the testimony of two witnesses and additional materials submitted for the record. Hon. Ruth Davis described DOE's uranium enrichment services and the uranium resource assessment program. Hon. Sheldon Meyers outlined DOE's plans for isolating existing and future radioactive waste from civilian and military sources. These include a procedure for consultation between the Federal government and state and local governments; DOE's efforts to characterize candidate repository sites; and policies to monitor interim sites while pressing for legislation to build AFR facilities. Policy reforms are needed to improve efficiency and cooperation between different levels of government