How to build a better sepulcher: Lessons from New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

摘要

New Mexico誷 Waste Isolation Pilot Plant took three decades, several lawsuits, myriad battles with thenDepartment of Energy, and more than a few political twists and turns before becoming the first and onlynoperational geologic radioactive waste repository in the world. The story of how Carlsbad, New Mexico,nbecame the center of a national drama is an object lesson in how the United States and countries around thenworld can improve on this lengthy, contentious, and incredibly vital repository approval process. As more andnmore nations build nuclear programs and accumulate radioactive waste, there is no time to lose in initiatingnplans for safe disposal sites that can last裡ssentially裦orever.