ANS calls on Congress to embrace benefits of Yucca Mountain
"It is imperative for Congress to recognize the features of Yucca Mountain that our members embraced when endorsing this site," said ANS President Dr. Gail H. Marcus. "Yucca Mountain has the characteristics and the engineering to exceed the high regulatory standard for public health and safety.
"We're convinced, based on pre-closure and post-closure assessments of Yucca Mountain, that the combination of site and design features provide public health protection with a considerable margin of safety. We call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to base their decision on Yucca Mountain on the peer-reviewed scientific data that support the repository's suitability."
ANS based its recommendation of Yucca Mountain, in part, on comprehensive and peer-reviewed studies and reports conducted by the Department of Energy, national laboratories and other government agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the Environmental Protection Agency.
"The Department of Energy's expanded approach to studying the parameters of the safety and suitability of Yucca Mountain is significant," said Marcus. "We have high confidence that the current repository design will meet the applicable radiation protection standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
"We call on members of Congress to recognize the substantial scientific analysis that supports the suitability of Yucca Mountain."
ANS, established in 1954, is a professional organization of scientists and engineers devoted to the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. Its 11,000 members come from diverse technical disciplines ranging from physics and nuclear safety to operations and power, and from across the full spectrum of the national and international nuclear enterprise, including government, academia, research laboratories and private industry.
For more on ANS positions and background information regarding Yucca Mountain, visit the ANS web site at: http://www.ans.org/pi/news/d-1002899330.
