This panel focused on emerging issues in commercial LLW management in the US from the perspective of five active members of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Forum, Inc. State, compact, federal and industry officials shared their views on a variety of timely and significant topics related to low-level radioactive waste management, disposal and related issues. Topics discussed included:
-Recent activities of the Texas Compact Commission regarding import and export issues; completion of facility construction and beginning of operation at Waste Control Specialists facility in Andrews County; and interim and final rate setting actions.
-DOE responsibilities and projects including draft GTCC EIS and stakeholder feedback thereon; plans for the Federal Waste Facility at WCS site; future plans for the WIPP facility; and other department initiatives and activities.
-NRC activities and initiatives including the draft Branch Technical Position on Concentration Averaging and Encapsulation; site specific performance assessment; consideration of comprehensive revisions to 10 CFR Part 61; risk informing the waste classification scheme; and volume reduction policy statement.
-EnergySolutions' variance request for sealed source disposal at the Clive facility; performance assessment for the proposed disposal of depleted uranium; proposal for the disposal of waste produced by Studsvik’s facility in Tennessee using the SempraSafe process; and Class A West license amendment.
-Industry perspectives on current events and regulatory initiatives including potential impacts of the Fukushima incident to the nuclear industry and various ongoing federal regulatory initiatives.
Panelists included: Bob Wilson, Texas LLRW Disposal Compact Commission; Christine Gelles, US DOE Office of Disposal Operations; Larry Camper, US NRC FSMEMP/DWMEP; Tom Magette, EnergySolutions; and Janet Schlueter, Nuclear Energy Institute (USA).