NRC ASLB rejects last remaining contentions opposed to ISP/WCS CISF in TX

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has rejected the last remaining contentions opposed to the Interim Storage Partners/Waste Control Specialists so-called consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) in Andrews County, Texas, immediately upon the New Mexico border at Eunice.

Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter had established standing in the proceeding, and the ASLB had admitted a single contention for hearing on the merits. It had to do with two endangered lizard species that would be further harmed by construction and operation of the CISF, for "temporary storage" of 40,000 metric tons of irradiated nuclear fuel.

See the ASLB ruling, here, rejecting this last remaining contention.

Sierra Club, represented by Cedar Rapids, IA attorney Wally Taylor, plans to appeal this ruling to the NRC Commissioners.

More than 50 contentions were filed against the ISP/WCS CISF, by Beyond Nuclear, Don't Waste Michigan et al. (a coailtion of seven grassroots environmental groups from Texas and nationwide), Fasken Oil, and Sierra Club. The ASLB rejected many legal efforts for supposed lack of standing. If standing was recognized, all other contentions were rejected as supposedly not worthy of a hearing on the merits.

The other legal efforts have also appealed the ASLB's rulings to the NRC Commissioners.

Many to most to all legal efforts will also appeal to the federal courts, if needed.