Panel Rejects Italian Waste Plan; EnergySolutions Sues to Move Forward

摘要

Saying that importing foreign waste would violate its rules, a panel representing eight states has rejected EnergySolutions Inc.'s plan to ship tons of radioactive waste from Italy for eventual disposal in Utah.rnThe Northwest Interstate Compact on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management said it would have to change its rules to allow EnergySolutions to import the roughly five or six rail cars of waste a year it proposes to import from Italy and bury at its facility in Tooele County, Utah.rnEmphasizing the point, the compact also approved a resolution that seeks to block other foreign waste from being shipped to Utah after it has been reclassified as domestic waste in Tennessee, a practice that has happened for the past two years with incinerated waste from countries such as Canada, France and Germany.rnDespite the setback, Salt Lake City-based Energy-Solutions Inc. no doubt will push forward with its lawsuit arguing that the panel has no jurisdiction over the waste it handles at its Clive repository in Tooele County. Filed May 5 - before the compact's decision - the suit asks the U.S. District Court for Utah to decide whether the compact has jurisdiction over the plan.