Politico: NRC APPROVES STORAGE SITE THAT TEXAS BANS

NRC APPROVES STORAGE SITE THAT TEXAS BANS: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a license Monday to construct and operate an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in Texas' Permian Basin — despite a new state law that bans storage of highly radioactive waste in the state. It marks only the second license of its sort issued by the NRC, following one in 2006 for a facility that was never constructed. Interim Storage Partners intends to construct the facility on property adjacent to Waste Control Specialists' low-level radioactive waste disposal site already operating under a Texas license, and it has said it plans to expand the facility in seven additional phases, totaling up to 40,000 metric tons of fuel.

"We're disappointed by the decision so soon after Texas lawmakers expressed near unanimous opposition to high-level radioactive waste," said Adrian Shelley, director of Public Citizen's Texas office, in a statement Monday. "The bill makes it illegal for Texas to issue permits for new types of radioactive waste. They won't be opening new dumps in Texas without a fight." Public Citizen supported the vote to ban high-level nuclear waste in the state.

As reported at:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-energy/2021/09/14/the-tax-route-797582