The bill would clarify the Department of Energy’s authority to collect, store, and safely dispose of certain foreign-origin fissile or radiological materials at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The materials must contain transuranic elements and be similar to materials already covered by the law. The bill’s findings say Russian-origin americium-241 sources could be disposed of at WIPP if they meet its waste acceptance criteria.
The bill would create a disposal pathway at WIPP for qualifying foreign-origin materials. It does not describe changes to services or requirements for the public.
No publicly available information.
The bill’s findings state that a clear disposal pathway could speed the removal of americium-241 sources and reduce the availability of material that could be used in a radiological dispersal device. They estimate the waste volume would amount to one or two shipments per year, with a negligible effect on WIPP operations.
No publicly available information.