Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors The following principles are based on the urgent need to protect the public from the threats posed by the current vulnerable storage of commercial irradiated fuel. The United States does not have a near-term solution for the permanent storage of high-level nuclear waste. The proposed Yucca Mountain site is unsafe for geologic storage of nuclear waste and the program remains mired in bad science, mismanagement, and yet another design overhaul. Even if licensed, Yucca Mountain could not legally contain all of the waste produced by existing reactors. Under the U.S. Department of Energy's unrealistically optimistic scenario, Yucca Mountain is not predicted to begin receiving waste until at least 2017 and transporting waste to the site would take more than 30 years. Meanwhile, irradiated fuel at reactor sites remains vulnerable to accidents and attacks. The undersigned organizations' support for improving the protection of radioactive waste stored at reactor sites is a matter of security and is in no way an indication that we support nuclear power and the generation of more nuclear waste. * Require a low-density, open-frame layout for fuel pools: Fuel pools were originally designed for temporary storage of a limited number of irradiated fuel assemblies in a low density, open frame configuration. As the amount of waste generated has increased beyond the designed capacity, the pools have been reorganized so that the concentration of fuel in the pools is nearly the same as that in operating reactor cores. If water is lost from a densely packed pool as the result of an attack or an accident, cooling by ambient air would likely be insufficient to prevent a fire, resulting in the release of large quantities of radioactivity to the environment. A low-density, open-frame arrangement within fuel pools could allow enough air circulation to keep the fuel from catching fire. In order to achieve and maintain this arrangement within the pools, irradiated fuel must be transferred from the pools to dry storage within five years of being discharged from the reactor. * Establish hardened on-site storage (HOSS): Irradiated fuel must be stored as safely as possible as close to the site of generation as possible. Waste moved from fuel pools must be safeguarded in hardened, on-site storage (HOSS) facilities. Transporting waste to interim away-from-reactor storage should not be done unless the reactor site is unsuitable for a HOSS facility and the move increases the safety and security of the waste. HOSS facilities must not be regarded as a permanent waste solution, and thus should not be constructed deep underground. The waste must be retrievable, and real-time radiation and heat monitoring at the HOSS facility must be implemented for early detection of radiation releases and overheating. The overall objective of HOSS should be that the amount of releases projected in even severe attacks should be low enough that the storage system would be unattractive as a terrorist target. Design criteria that would correspond to the overall objective must include: * Resistance to severe attacks, such as a direct hit by high-explosive or deeply penetrating weapons and munitions or a direct hit by a large aircraft loaded with fuel or a small aircraft loaded with fuel and/or explosives, without major releases. * Placement of individual canisters that makes detection difficult from outside the site boundary. * Protect fuel pools: Irradiated fuel must be kept in pools for several years before it can be stored in a dry facility. The pools must be protected to withstand an attack by air, land, or water from a force at least equal in size and coordination to the 9/11 attacks. The security improvements must be approved by a panel of experts independent of the nuclear industry and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. * Require periodic review of HOSS facilities and fuel pools: An annual report consisting of the review of each HOSS facility and fuel pool should be prepared with meaningful participation from public stakeholders, regulators, and utility managers at each site. The report must be made publicly available and may include recommendations for actions to be taken. * Dedicate funding to local and state governments to independently monitor the sites: Funding for monitoring the HOSS facilities at each site must be provided to affected local and state governments. The affected public must have the right to fully participate. * Prohibit reprocessing: The reprocessing of irradiated fuel has not solved the nuclear waste problem in any country, and actually exacerbates it by creating numerous additional waste streams that must be managed. In addition to being expensive and polluting, reprocessing also increases nuclear weapons proliferation threats. Signatories (as of July 13, 2007): National Organizations Susan Gordon, Executive Director Alliance for Nuclear Accountability Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Coordinator Clean Water Action Ken Cook, Executive Director Environmental Working Group Erich Pica, Director, Domestic Campaigns Friends of the Earth Jim Riccio, Nuclear Policy Analyst Greenpeace Tom Reed Program and Operations Manager Honor the Earth Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D., President Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Gretel Munroe, Board Member The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons Kevin S. Curtis Senior Vice President for Programs National Environmental Trust Geoffrey Fettus, Senior Attorney Natural Resources Defense Council Michael Mariotte, Executive Director Nuclear Information and Resource Service Alice Slater, Director, NY Nickolas Roth, Research and Advocacy Director Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Kevin Martin, Executive Director Peace Action Kimberly Roberts, Director of Policy and Programs, Security Physicians for Social Responsibility Michele Boyd, Legislative Director Public Citizen Stephen Lerner Director, Property Services Service Employees International Union Washington, D.C. Dave Hamilton, Director, Global Warming and Energy Program Sierra Club Ken Bossong, Executive Director SUN DAY Campaign David Lochbaum Director, Nuclear Safety Project Union of Concerned Scientists Anna Aurilio, Legislative Director U.S. PIRG (U.S. Public Interest Research Group) Susan Shaer, Executive Director Women's Action for New Directions Alabama Kaye Kiker Citizens Task Force Arizona Stephen Brittle, President Don't Waste Arizona, Inc. Donna Cassano, Board Member Flagstaff Activist Network Jack & Felice Cohen-Joppa, Editors Nuclear Resister Russell J. Lowes, Research Director Power Plant Analysts Arkansas April Ambrose, Executive Director Arkansas Earth Day Foundation California Rochelle Becker, Executive Director Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility Pamela S. Meidell, Director Atomic Mirror Jon Rainwater, Executive Director California Peace Action Ernest Goitein, Californians for Radioactive Safeguards Enid Schreibman, Co- Director Center for Safe Energy Daniel Hirsch, President Committee to Bridge the Gap Molly Johnson, Area Coordinator Grandmothers for Peace, San Luis Obispo County Chapter Jennifer Viereck HOME (Healing Ourselves & Mother Earth) Michael Welch Redwood Alliance Leuren Moret, Independent Radiation Specialist Environmental Commissioner City of Berkeley Radiation and Public Health Project Jill ZamEk and Jane Swanson San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace Action Committee Kathleen Gwynn President & CEO Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation Linda Seeley, President Terra Foundation Marylia Kelley, Executive Director Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) Colorado Paula Palmer, Executive Director Global Response LeRoy Moore, Ph.D. Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center Connecticut Jane Latus, Vice President Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion Lynn Johnson, President Center for Serenity Nancy Burton, Director Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone Judi Friedman, Chair PACE (People's Action For Clean Energy) Sal Mangiagli & Rosemary Bassilakis CT CAN Florida Bob Tancig, State Coordinator Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice Marilyn Blackwell, President Help Save the Apalachicola River Group Georgia Adele Kushner, Executive Director Action for a Clean Environment Bobbie Paul, Director Atlanta WAND (Women's Action for New Directions) Abayomi Noibi, Ph.D., Executive Director Environmental Community Action, Inc. (ECO-Action) Bob Darby, Coordinator Food Not Bombs/Atlanta Steve Leeper, Executive Director Global Peacemakers Association Glenn Carroll, Coordinator Nuclear Watch South Idaho Jeremy Maxand, Executive Director Snake River Alliance Illinois David A. Kraft, Director Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) Carolyn Treadway No New Nukes Indiana Grant Smith, Executive Director Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana Iowa Merle P. Prater, Ph.D. Founder/Principal Integrative Educational Systems Kansas James M Nordlund, Communications Director Kansas Chapter of the National Action Network Kentucky Ruby English Active Citizens for Truth (ACT) Mary Davis, Director Yggdrasil, a project of Earth Island Institute Louisiana Karen Wimpelberg, Board President Alliance for Affordable Energy Nathalie Walker & Monique Harden, Co-Directors Advocates for Environmental Human Rights Maine Bruce K. Gagnon, Coordinator Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space Maryland Jay. J. Levy, chair Nuclear Free Takoma Park Committee Massachusetts Sandra Gavutis, Executive Director The C-10 Research and Education Foundation Deb Katz, Director Citizens Awareness Network Carol Dwyer, Co-Chair Grassroots Actions for Peace Mary Lampert, Director Pilgrim Watch Michigan Victor McManemy, Director Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination Keith Gunter Citizens' Resistance at Fermi Two Michael J. Keegan Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes Alice Hirt Don't Waste Michigan Keith Michael Varady The Earth Force United Organization John Ephland KNOW (Kalamazoo Non-violent Opponents of War) Sarah Nash, Assistant to the Coordinator IHM Justice Peace and Sustainability Office Lynn Howard Ehrle, Chair International Science Oversight Board (a project of the Organic Consumers Association) Betsy Winkelman, Chair Michigan Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (MI-COEJL) James Clift, Policy Director Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) Vicki Levengood, Michigan Representative National Environmental Trust Minnesota Judi Poulson, Chair Fairmont Peace Group Gladys Schmitz, SSND Mankato Area Environmentalist, Coordinator George Crocker, Executive Director North American Water Office Bruce A Drew, Steering Committee Prairie Island Coalition Missouri Kathleen Logan Smith, Executive Director, Missouri Coalition on the Environment Nebraska Tim Rinne Executive Director Nebraskans for Peace Nevada Peggy Maze Johnson, Executive Director Citizen Alert Tony Guzman, Outreach Director Nevada Conservation League Judy Treichel, Executive Director Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force New Hampshire Chris Nord NH CAN New Jersey Norm Cohen, Executive Director Coalition for Peace and Justice UNPLUG Salem Campaign New Mexico Joni Arends, Executive Director Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety Jay Coghlan, Director Nuclear Watch of New Mexico Don Hancock, Director, Nuclear Waste Safety Program Southwest Research and Information Center New York Tim Judson Central New York CAN Elaine Donovan, Co-Founder Concerned Citizens for Peace Scott Cullen, Senior Policy Advisor GRACE (GrassRoots Action Center for the Environment) Jason K. Babbie, Senior Environmental Policy Analyst NYPIRG - New York Public Interest Research Group Ernest J. Sternglass, Ph.D., President Radiation and Public Health Lisa Rainwater, Ph.D., Indian Point Campaign Director Riverkeeper North Carolina Louis Zeller, Campaign Coordinator Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (also in SC, TN & VA) Jim Warren, Executive Director NC WARN (North Carolina Waste Awareness & Reduction Network) E.M.T. O'Nan, Director Protect All Children's Environment Lewis E. Patrie, M.D., Chair Western North Carolina Chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility Laura Sorensen, District Leader Western North Carolina Peace Keepers Ohio Mark D. Stansbery, Secretary Community Organizing Center/For Mother Earth Lisa Crawford, President Fernald Residents For Environmental Safety & Health, Inc. (FRESH) Vina Colley, Co-Chair National Nuclear Workers for Justice Vina Colley and Lorry Swain PRESS (Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security) Terry Lodge Toledo Coalition for Safe Energy Oregon Chuck Johnson, Board Member Center for Energy Research Paige Knight, President Hanford Watch Gerald Pollet, JD, Executive Director Heart of America Northwest (also in Washington) Jenny Pompilio, MD, President Board of Directors Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania Dr. Lewis Cuthbert, President Alliance For A Clean Environment Karen H. Prather, Chair Concern About Radiation In the Environment (CARIE) Ernest Fuller, Vice-Chairman Concerned Citizens for SNEC Safety (CCSS) Eric Epstein, Coordinator EFMR Monitoring Eric Epstein, Chairman TMI-Alert South Carolina Louis Zeller, Campaign Coordinator Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (also in NC, TN & VA) Ruth Thomas, President Environmentalist Inc. F. Taylor, Coordinator Hilton Head for Peace Susan Corbett, Conservation Chair SC Sierra Club Tennessee Louis Zeller, Campaign Coordinator Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (also in North Carolina, South Carolina & Virginia) Ann Harris, Director We the People, Inc. Texas Lisa Doggett (MD, MPH) Austin Physicians for Social Responsibility Richard Simpson, Executive Director La Paz Coalition Doris Smith Panhandle Area Neighbors and Landowners Mavis Belisle, Director Peace Farm Utah Vanessa Pierce, Director HEAL Utah Pete Litster, Executive Director Eileen McCabe, Associate Director Shundahai Network Vermont Chris Willams VT CAN Virginia Louis Zeller, Campaign Coordinator Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (also in NC, SC & TN) Elena Day, Founding Member People's Alliance for Clean Energy (PACE) Washington Gerald Pollet, JD, Executive Director Heart of America Northwest (also in OR) Tom Carpenter, Director, Nuclear Oversight Program Government Accountability Project Wisconsin Dennis Dums, Research Director Citizens Utility Board John LaForge, Co-director Nukewatch George Paz Martin, Program Director Peace Action Wisconsin Amy Schulz, RN, President Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin Judy Miner, Office Coordinator Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice Al Gedicks, Executive Secretary Wisconsin Resources Protection Council For more information, contact Michele Boyd at Public Citizen (mboyd@citizen.org or 202-454-5134). ?? ?? ?? ?? 6 First released: Sept. 13, 2006 Updated list of signatories: July 13, 2007 7 First released: Sept. 13, 2006 Updated list of signatories: Sept. 25, 2006