Colorado: city council discusses potential spent nuclear fuel storage facility

On Tuesday (March 25), Craig City Council hosted a presentation and discussion on possibly establishing an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in Moffat County. The meeting featured Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative’s Matt Solomon and focused on the Department of Energy’s collaboration-based siting process, which engages local communities in discussions about potentially hosting interim spent nuclear fuel storage facilities. Solomon talked about the challenges of managing spent nuclear fuel sites, citing the case of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain, which had been selected as the nation’s permanent repository for high-level spent nuclear fuel. However, political quarrels stalled the development of the structure and forced the use of dry casks to store spent fuel. In response to Yucca Mountain’s failure, Congress instructed the Department of Energy (DOE) to explore CISFs as an interim solution. These are above-ground facilities that store spent fuel in dry casks until a permanent repository becomes available. DOE’s property in Maybell is one of the possible locations to host such facilities. The site was a uranium mining facility in the 1950s and was subjected to a thorough clean-up process in the 1990s, with contaminated materials placed in a disposable cell. According to Solomon, the land’s remote setting and federal ownership make it a potential candidate to host an interim storage facility under the DOE’s collaboration-based siting initiative, bringing economic development opportunities to the region. He said he had recently had several discussions in Washington on the matter, with DOE officials envisioning the building of additional infrastructure beyond the spent fuel facility. This point was met with interest from some council members. Solomon emphasized the possibility of up to $100 billion in investment towards regional development, including improvements to roads and railways, if the storage facility was paired with other infrastructure like a research and technology center.
After Solomon’s presentation, council members, city officials, and members of the public discussed several key aspects of the issue. While the prospect of new jobs and better infrastructure was well-received, there were still doubts and concerns about a potential nuclear fuel facility in the area. Some participants asked for more education and information on the subject, allowing a better community discussion. Both Solomon and City Manager Peter Brixius tried to assuage people’s fears, breaking down myths associated with nuclear and explaining the foundations for the management of the site, including transportation safety and groundwater protection. The conversation also involved who would have the authority to approve the facility and establish benefits and legal requirements. Solomon confirmed that the site would be managed by the DOE and that it would be subject to an agreement with Moffat County.
No decision was made at the end of the meeting. However, as reported later by the Craig Press, city leaders are still hopeful to reach a positive agreement on hosting the facility and are actively engaging in dialogue with the community.