SCOUTS Greenlights Temporary Nuke Waste Sites in TX, NM/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision, reinstated licenses by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for temporary nuclear waste storage facilities in rural Texas and New Mexico. Courts had previously halted the licenses, but the Supreme Court removed that obstacle, allowing up to 40 years of interim use—potentially renewable. The ruling comes amid nationwide stalled efforts for a permanent repository like Yucca Mountain, leaving spent fuel careening toward an overflowing crisis.
Quick Look
- 6–3 Ruling: Supreme Court reverses appellate block on NRC licenses for temporary nuclear storage.
- Sites Approved: Texas facility by Interim Storage Partners and New Mexico facility by Holtec International.
- Storage Capacity: Each site to hold decades of spent nuclear fuel; licenses valid 40 years with possible renewal.
- National Context: Intended as temporary holding while Yucca Mountain and other long-term solutions remain stalled.
SCOUTS Greenlights Temporary Nuke Waste Sites in TX, NM
Deep Look
Supreme Court Decision
In a 6–3 majority, the justices overturned a New Orleans federal appeals court order that had invalidated the NRC licenses. This legal roadblock is now cleared, though the decision isn’t a final approval—further regulatory steps remain. The reversal permits Interim Storage Partners and Holtec International to proceed with compliance protocols.
Site Details
- Texas Facility (Andrews County): Managed by Interim Storage Partners, the site will accept up to 5,500 tons of spent nuclear fuel from reactors, plus 231 million pounds of other radioactive waste, adjacent to an existing low-level waste dump—about 350 miles west of Dallas near the New Mexico border.
- New Mexico Facility (Lea County): Holtec International plans a similar operation roughly 40 miles away, aimed at temporary holding.
The Waste Crisis
Across 30+ nuclear sites, around 100,000 tons of spent fuel are accumulating—rising at 2,000 tons annually. Reactor sites initially intended only for temporary storage are rapidly running out of space, which also complicates decommissioning efforts. Without interim facilities, current locations risk saturation.
Long‑Term Storage Roadblocks
Yucca Mountain in Nevada remains the intended permanent repository, but efforts have stalled for years due to local resistance from Nevada officials and residents. With no other permanent federal site moving forward, temporary storage is considered essential.
Political and Regulatory Backdrop
- Bipartisan Opposition: Despite being a Republican governor, Texas’s Greg Abbott, along with Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, are opposing the plans.
- Federal Support Across Administrations: The NRC, supported first by the Biden administration and continued under Trump, filed the appeal leading to this Supreme Court review.
- NRC Role: As an independent federal regulator, the NRC evaluates nuclear safety and licensing—this ruling restores its authority to implement its technical decisions.
What Happens Next
Though the Supreme Court has authorized the legal path forward, the facilities must still meet stringent technical and environmental standards. Construction, public consultation, and federal environmental reviews remain on the schedule. If completed, waste could be shifted off aging reactor sites and held securely for decades.
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