Siting of low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Texas

The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority was established by the 67th Legislature to assure safe and effective disposal of the state's low-level radioactive waste. The Authority operates under provisions of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority Act, V.A.C.S. 4590f-1. Prior to beginning the siting study, the Authority developed both exclusionary and inclusionary criteria for site selection. Major requirements of the siting guidelines are that the site shall not interfere with: existing or near-future industrial use, sensitive environmental and ecological areas, and existing and projected population growth. This would reduce the potential for inadvertent intruders, increasing the likelihood for stability of the disposal site after closure. The identification of potential sites for disposal of low-level radioactive waste involves a phased progression from statewide screening to site-specific exploration, using exclusionary and preferential criteria to guide the process. This methodology applied the criteria in a sequential manner to focus the analysis on progressively smaller and more favorable areas. This study was conducted in three phases: Statewid Screening; Site Identification and Ranking; and Preliminary Site Characterization