Continuing the examination of nuclear material management from last month’s hearing on the transportation of nuclear materials, the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, chaired by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at 10:15 a.m. in room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Update on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Issues.”

In 1980, Congress passed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act to establish a national policy for the disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW). Members will examine ongoing issues relating to the implementation of the Act, which provided state governments with the responsibility of managing and disposing of LLRW generated within state borders, in an effort to find out what’s working with the law, what’s not, and how low-level waste interstate compacts are functioning. The subcommittee will also examine the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s regulations governing management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Members will also hear from the Department of Energy about the federal government’s disposal strategy and receive an update on DOE’s plan to dispose of waste Greater Than Class C – the most hazardous LLRW.

Full Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Subcommittee Chairman Shimkus added, “We’re looking forward to an informative discussion next week as we work to ensure that the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act is working as it was intended and that any issues related to its implementation are addressed. The federal government is also responsible for the disposal of a significant amount of nuclear materials, which requires effective planning and a disposal pathway. Getting these answers will help provide the foundation to identify the path forward for the permanent disposal of nuclear materials.”

The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.

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