The U.S. Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, established in January 2010 to provide recommendations regarding spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, released its Draft report to the Secretary of Energy. The release opens the public comment period that will last until October 31, 2011. The final report will be delivered by January 29, 2012.
The key recommendations of the Commission are as follows:
- An approach to siting and developing nuclear waste management and disposal facilities in the United States that is adaptive, staged, consent-based, transparent, and standards- and science-based.
- A new, single-purpose organization to develop and implement a focused, integrated program for the transportation, storage, and disposal of nuclear waste in the United States.
- Assured access by the nuclear waste management program to the balance in the Nuclear Waste Fund and to the revenues generated by annual nuclear waste fee payments.
- Prompt efforts to develop, as expeditiously as possible, one or more permanent deep geological facilities for the safe disposal of spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste.
- Prompt efforts to develop, as expeditiously as possible, one or more consolidated interim storage facilities as part of an integrated, comprehensive plan for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.
- Stable, long-term support for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) on advanced reactor and fuel cycle technologies that have the potential to offer substantial benefits relative to currently available technologies and for related workforce needs and skills development.
- International leadership to address global non-proliferation concerns and improve the safety and security of nuclear facilities and materials worldwide.