Will Yucca Mtn Ever Open?

Obama pulled the plug on Yucca as the nuclear
waste facility in 2009. Will it ever open? There are a few
dollars invested there. Its only 100 miles from Vegas.

Someday, it will open. There really is no other place to put the really hot stuff... Unless we dump it someplace in the third world.

It was approved over 20 years ago, billions went into it,
thousands were employed, and its just sitting there. No
wonder we're broke..

I saw a news story on the local Las Vegas Fox affiliate where some guy wants to make the facility into some kind of Logan's Run type bubble community for scientists ( only they won't be exploded in the sky as they turn 30 ). The idea being that, if the apocalypse were to appear in the form of some crazy engineered virus that kills everyone, then humanity would be able to continue because this facility would be isolated. Will it open as a nuclear waste dump? No. Will it open as Logan's Run Bubble Community? No. Will it open as something else? Eventually.

If not Yucca Mtn., what other options are available for our spent nuclear waste? We can't keep piling it up at reactors across the country. There is a limited amount of space, and it is much more complicated (and therefore, much more dangerous) to maintain the material in a temporary environment, than to seal it in a specifically designed long term disposal facility.

It will open, eventually. We have no other choice.

Is it the facility, or the logistics of getting the
material to the facility. Its would be a nightmare
and a target for those that want to hurt us. I
think they're contemplating a number of facilities
that are regional in nature, rather than just one
big dump.

Quote: Ayecarumba

If not Yucca Mtn., what other options are available for our spent nuclear waste? We can't keep piling it up at reactors across the country. There is a limited amount of space, and it is much more complicated (and therefore, much more dangerous) to maintain the material in a temporary environment, than to seal it in a specifically designed long term disposal facility..

We engineer a super-being, who EATS nuclear waste and shits safe vegetables.

Quote: EvenBob

Is it the facility, or the logistics of getting the
material to the facility. Its would be a nightmare
and a target for those that want to hurt us. I
think they're contemplating a number of facilities
that are regional in nature, rather than just one
big dump.

It is mostly the NIMBY factor along with some NOPE (not on planet earth) types, the later of which would prefer we use no electricity from any source. Harry Reid doubtless ueses his power to keep blocking it, though he is hardly alone. Unless we blast the stuff to the sun we have to do something.

Quote: TIMSPEED

We engineer a super-being, who EATS nuclear waste and shits safe vegetables.

You mean a reverse baby?

I think it will never open. The next Republican president will probably try to reopen it, but Nevada will keep tying it up in the courts, as they should. An exception would be if someone like Sharon Angle should replace Harry Reid.

Quote: Ayecarumba

We can't keep piling it up at reactors across the country. There is a limited amount of space, and it is much more complicated (and therefore, much more dangerous) to maintain the material in a temporary environment, than to seal it in a specifically designed long term disposal facility. It will open, eventually. We have no other choice.

Why can't we just keep it where it already is? There is plenty of room and it is not complicated to store it safely. The main reason for Yucca was the NIMB mentality from the other 49 states.

In my opinion science will find a way to safely reprocess it, or dispose of it, before the country shoves it down the throats of southern Nevada. I personally applaud any politician who has the backbone to not force toxic waste on any state that doesn't want it.

I will concede that Yucca is probably safe. However, I still oppose it based only on the arrogance of the rest of the country trying to dump it on us.