About: Interim Storage Partners, a partnership of Dallas-based Waste Control Specialists and Orano USA, has requested a license to "temporarily" store 5,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel at its 14,000-acre site in Andrews County, with plans to store up to 40,000 metric tons. The storage canisters would be transported by rail from operating, decommissioning and decommissioned commercial nuclear power plants around the country. The NRC recently released a draft study of the project’s environmental impact.

Opposition: A coalition of Texas activists, including SEED, Sierra Club, Public Citizen Texas and the Tarrant Coalition for Environmental Awareness, oppose the plan due to the high risk of transportating the lethal material by rail through major population centers. In addition, the facility is not designed to store high level radioactive waste. Critics say the West Texas facility is at risk of becoming a permanent site for the nation's most deadly nuclear waste because of the dangers of relocating the waste a second time. They are asking concerned residents to comment on the plan.

Online Public Comment: The NRC site is being redesigned so you will be redirected to what they're calling the regulations "beta site." Until Oct. 31, use this link to comment. Use Docket ID, NRC-2016-0231. If you have any questions about submitting your comment, contact the NRC support desk at 877-378-5457.

Modify and send a letter composed by Austin-based NoNuclearWaste.org.

Email: The NRC will accept email comments at: WCS_CISF_EIS@nrc.gov. The Docket ID, NRC-2016- 0231, should be included in the subject line of comments.

USPS: Comments can also be mailed to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.

Deadline: Nov. 3, 2020.

Letter Writing Party: Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

Public Webinar: The NRC will host online public webinar/ meetings for the WCS nuclear waste dump proposal on Oct. 1, 6, 8 and 15.

Info: Karen Hadden, karendhadden@gmail.com

Event Location: 
Zoom TX
Date and Time: 
Thursday, September 17, 2020 - 7:00pm