EnergySolutions Presses Case to Import Italian Nuclear Waste

Date: May 20, 2008

Source: News Room

Eager to press ahead with plans to import foreign nuclear wastes into Utah, Salt Lake City-based EnergySolutions Inc. said it would limit the amount of waste and that it would not impact domestic capacity. EnergySolutions has an application pending before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to import 20,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy. It is the largest import license request for nuclear waste the NRC has ever received. The proposal has led to widespread opposition in Utah and other states the waste would travel through. It has also sparked a bill in Congress that would ban the importation of all low-level radioactive foreign waste unless it originated here or came from an American military facility. Sponsors are concerned that imports would diminish much needed domestic capacity. Company CEO Steve Creamer attempted to allay those fears in testifying before a House subcommittee on the bill. He said the intent in importing the waste is to "have an American company build a strong position internationally."

Utah recently exercised its veto authority on an eight-state interstate compact that governs nuclear waste management in the region to say Utah would no longer accept foreign waste.

EnergySolutions is challenging the compact's authority in a lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The NRC has said the company's import license is dependent on it having a site to dispose of the waste.

To learn more about EnergySolutions, visit www.energysolutions.com.

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