Controversial Projects and Potential Implications for the Consent-Based Siting of Nuclear Waste Management Facilities - 17345

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) goal is to develop solutions for the long-term, sustainable management of the nation's spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The DOE is planning for an integrated waste management system to transport, store, and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from commercial electricity generation, as well national defense activities. To achieve this goal, the DOE is developing a process to site facilities collaboratively with the public, communities, stakeholders, and governments at the state, tribal, and local levels. The DOE is seeking the help of all Americans in developing a consent-based approach to siting that is fair and reflective of public input. To inform DOE's efforts to develop a consent-based process for siting facilities an effort was undertaken to review other contentious projects including contaminated site remediation and facilities and infrastructure deployment to understand the role of different parties involved and of public involvement for both successful and unsuccessful projects. (authors)