STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE POTENTIAL GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN NEVADA, U.S.A

摘要

After years of geologic investigations, Yucca Mountain, Nevada has been recommended byrnthe President of the United States to the U.S. Congress for development as the geologicrnrepository for disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. This significantrnstep forward in implementing national policy for the safe and environmentally sound isolationrnof radioactive waste was made possible by the finalization of the regulatory framework for thernU.S. repository program. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act, passed in 1982 and amended inrn1987, established the roles of three federal agencies responsible for interrelated regulatoryrnaspects of radioactive waste disposal: 1) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA";rnresponsible for setting standards for public health and environmental protection); 2) the U.S.rnNuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC"; responsible for developing licensing criteria andrnregulations implementing the EPA's standard); and, 3) the U.S. Department of Energyrn("DOE"; responsible for site selection, characterization, recommendation and repositoryrndevelopment and operation). These agencies first published their regulations in the 1980's. Inrnthe 1992 Energy Policy Act, Congress directed the EPA to develop new public health andrnsafety standards that were specific for Yucca Mountain and directed the NRC to revise itsrntechnical requirements and criteria to be consistent with the EPA's new standard. In keepingrnwith this approach, DOE revised its siting guidelines to apply to Yucca Mountain. Therefore,rnwith the 2001 finalization of the EPA standard and the NRC and DOE regulations, thernregulatory framework for a Yucca Mountain repository is in place.