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DOE OSTI2019

Perspectives on Previous DOE Transportation Acquisition Efforts - 19049

The Department of Energy (DOE) is planning for future large-scale transport of commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) to eventual disposal and/or storage facilities. Various options for procuring transportation services are being evaluated. To inform this work, a review of past comments received on DOE transportation acquisition activities in the early 1990's through 2016 was conducted. Through the course of data collection, staff analyzed comments submitted from ten DOE initiatives from DoE's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) and DoE's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE). This paper summarizes and outlines key themes arising from these comments. Past issues identified by a wide variety of commenters (nuclear industry and cask vendors, nuclear utilities and purchasers, states, Tribes, local governments, rail carriers, nongovernmental organizations, trade organizations, engineering firms, and members of the public) were examined. These issues concerned DoE's activities to make maximum use of the private sector to transport and store SNF and HLW. The key themes analyzed include: Uniqueness of the Shipping Campaign, Views on Privatization, Industry Risk and Privatization, Unclear Roles and Responsibilities, and Responsibilities Recommended for DOE to Maintain. This paper concludes by discussing lessons that can be learned from analyzing these public comments and what that may mean moving forward in the U.S. radioactive waste management program. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2017

Section 180(c) Policy Implementation Exercise: Multiple Views - 17383

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy's Office of Integrated Waste Management (formerly the Nuclear Fuels Storage and Transportation Planning Project) recently completed a two-year Section 180(c) Proposed Policy Implementation Exercise (the Exercise) with volunteers from eight states and one Native American Tribe. Under Section 180(c) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA), DOE is responsible for providing technical and financial assistance to states and Tribes for training of local public safety officials through whose jurisdictions the Secretary of Energy plans to transport spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or high-level radioactive waste to a NWPA-authorized facility. In the 2000's, DOE staff worked closely with state and tribal representatives to develop a revised proposed policy to implement Section 180(c), including grants for assessment and planning activities, as well as grants for training public safety officials. This revised proposed policy was published in a Federal Register Notice in 2008 (2008 FRN) (73 Federal Register 64933, Oct. 31, 2008). The purpose of the Exercise was to evaluate the efficacy of DOE's 2008 revised proposed policy for implementing Section 180(c), and identify outstanding issues to be resolved. DOE presented an interim update on the Exercise at the 2016 Waste Management Symposium and the Exercise concluded in June 2016. This paper describes the remaining activities of the Exercise that occurred since the 2016 Waste Management Symposium, and presents the perspectives of one state and one Tribal participant in the Exercise as well as DOE's perspective. The paper concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned from the Exercise, what steps are next, and how the Exercise may inform and improve future consultations between DOE and state, tribal, and local public safety officials. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗