Luis Cruz
91 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 499
There are 80,000 metric tons of uranium stranded at nuclear power plant sites throughout the United States with no clear path to permanent disposal. Although there is a consensus on using a consent-based siting process for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, no statutory authority exists to execute such a consent-based approach. This Note analyzes how a consent-based approach for siting a nuclear waste repository can incorporate environmental justice principles and recommends that the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issue a joint policy statement to incorporate these principles in the siting process. This Note proposes defining the scope and criteria of the environmental justice assessment in the joint policy statement and suggests applying the governing criteria early in the siting process.
