Nuclear Waste: Storage Issues at DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

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Abstract:

At a cost of 700 million, the Department of Energy DOE has built a mined geologic repository near Carlsbad, New Mexico-the Waste - Isolation Pilot Plant WIPP to dispose of transuranic waste produced and stored at its defense facilities in 10 states. DOE is seeking legislation that would withdraw the land from public use and permit waste storage to begin. The discovery of brine saltwater seeping into the repository, however, has raised questions about its suitability for nuclear waste disposal . As requested by the Chairman, Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Subcommittee, House Committee on Government Operations, GAO reviewed DOEs experiments and initial storage operations with wastes in WIPP. GAO testified on the preliminary results of its review at the Subcommittees hearings in September 1988 and June 1989. PG3. JMD

Author(s):
Sprague, John W. ; Weigel, Dwayne E. ; Allen, John W.
Author Organization(s):
GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE WASHINGTON DC RESOURCES COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVE LOPMENT DIV
Pagination:
0057

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
GAO/RCED-90-1
Monitor Series:
XD
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_4.7.2_Installation Services; JCA_4.7_Base and Installations Support; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_4.6_Engineering; JCA_4.6.1_General Engineering; JCA_4.2_Supply; JCA_4.2.2_Inventory Management; JCA_2.1_Planning and Direction; JCA_2.1.4_Evaluation; JCA_7.2_Mitigate; JCA_7_Protection; JCA_7.2.1_Mitigate Lethal Effects; JCA_1.2.7_Experimentation; JCA_5.4_Decide; JCA_4.1_Deployment and Distribution; JCA_4.5.4_Requirements Definition; JCA_4.5_Operational Contract Support; JCA_4_Logistics; JCA_1.2.3_Educating; JCA_1.2.5_Lessons Learned
Modernization Areas:
Space
Communities of Interest:
Biomedical
Descriptor(s):
*WASTE MANAGEMENT, *RADIOACTIVE WASTES, DEFENSE SYSTEMS, NATURAL RESOURCES, FACILITIES, ISOLATION, NEW MEXICO, WASTES, STORAGE, HOMING, LEGISLATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, PANEL(COMMITTEE), PILOT PLANTS
Field(s)/Group(s):
Solid Wastes and Pollution and Control, Radiation Pollution and Control
Keyword(s):
*NUCLEAR WASTE
Report Date:
1989 Dec 01