1/10/02

Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham notified Governor Guinn and the Nevada Legislature of his intent to recommend approval of the Yucca Mountain Site for development of a repository. (Sec. 114(a)(1) NWPA, as amended)

No sooner than 30 days following notification of Governor and Legislature, Secretary of energy shall submit to the President a recommendation regarding the Yucca Mountain Site. (Sec. 114 (a)(1) NWPA, as amended)

2/9/02

Earliest date Secretary of Energy could submit recommendation of the Yucca Mountain site to the President. (Sec. 114 (a)(1) NWPA, as amended)

Secretary of Energy recommendation must be accompanied by a comprehensive statement of the basis of such recommendation including:

A description of the proposed repository, including preliminary engineering specifications for the facility;

A description of the waste form or packaging proposed for use at such repository, and an explanation of the relationship between such waste form or packaging and the geologic medium of such site;

A discussion of data, obtained in site characterization activities, relating to the safety of such site;

A final environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to Sec. 114 (f) of the NWPA, as amended, and the National Environmental Policy Act, together with comments made concerning such environmental impact statement by the Secretary of the Interior, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission;

Preliminary Comments of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning the extent to which the at-depth site characterization analysis and the waste form proposal for such site seem to be sufficient for inclusion in any application to be submitted by the Secretary of Energy for licensing of such a site for a repository;

The views and comments of the Governor and Legislature, together with the response of the Secretary to such views;

Such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate; and

Any impact report submitted under Sec. 116(c)(2)(B) by the State of Nevada.

Section 114 (f) of the NWPA, as amended, states that "A final environmental impact statement prepared by the Secretary under such Act shall accompany any recommendation to the President to approve a site for a repository."

Secretary of Energy formally submitted his site recommendation to President Bush. (Sec. 114 (a)(1) NWPA, as amended)

2/15/02

If, after recommendation by the Secretary, the President considers the Yucca Mountain site qualified for application for a construction authorization for a repository, the President shall submit a recommendation of such site to the Congress. The President submitted his recommendation on February 15^th. (Sec. 114(a)(2)(A) NWPA, as amended).

No recommendation of a site by the President shall require the preparation of an environmental impact statement (Sec. 114(a)(3)(B), as amended).

4/9/02

Governor Guinn submitted a notice of disapproval to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate. The notice included a statement of reasons for the disapproval (Sec. 116(b)(2)NWPA, as amended).

4/24/02

House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee voted 24-2 to approve Yucca Mountain for a repository.

5/8/02

House of Representatives voted 306-117 to override Governor Guinn's veto.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold hearings to receive testimony on S. J. Res. 34 and consider the President's recommendation of Yucca Mountain and Governor Guinn's objections.

6/5/02

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-10 to override Governor Guinn's Veto and send a Yucca Mountain resolution to the Senate floor.       

7/9/02       

Senate voted 60-39 to override Governor Guinn's veto.

7/23/02

President Bush signed into law the resolution that overturns Nevada's veto and finalizes the Yucca Mountain site for a waste repository.

10/21/02

The Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission an application for a construction authorization for a repository not later than 90 days after the date on which the recommendation of the site designation is effective (Sec. 114(b) NWPA, as amended). DOE missed this deadline, and officials say they plan to submit the license application in December 2004. See news article.

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This site last updated on Friday March 23, 2007