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![handle is hein.gao/gaobadxsm0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DOCUMENT RESUME
00191 - CA0751622]
Issues Related to the Closing of the Nuclear Fuel Services,
Inc., Reprocessing Plant at V st Valley* Nev York. March 8,
1977. 15 pp.
Testiucny before the House Committee on Government Operations:
Conservation, Energy and Naturxl Resources Subcommij tee; by
Monte Canfield, Jr., Director, Energy and minerals Div.
Issue Area: Energy: making Nuclear Fission a Substantial Energy
Sovirce (1608).
Contact: Energy and Minerals Div.
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, -kd Energy
(300).
Organization Concerned: Energy Research and Development
Administration; New York: Energy Research and Development
Authority; Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.; Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
congressional Relevance: House Committee on Government
Operations: Conservation, Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee.
The Vest Valley, New York, nuclear reprccessing plant
operated by Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., was the only commercial
reprocessing facility operating in the United States. The plant
was clcsed in 1972. While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) believes that the waste tanks at Vest Valley are in good
condition, et-timating tank life is unpre1ictable. The waste
tanks may not meet current NRC seismic '35iteLia. Physicial and
chemical characteristics of the high-lev4J waste sludge
contained in the tanks are not completely known, and removal of
the sludge presents a large problem. Tec LolCgy is being
develo;ed for solidifying and disposing qf nuclear waste, but
such information will not be available fdr several years. It is
unlikely that the West Valley plant will ever operate again
because of: (1) substantial costs ($615 million) needed to
expand plant capacity and to meet NRC standards; and (2) the
plant design may not be susceptible to nodifications to lover
radiation exposure to vorkers. 1o plans have been developed to
decommission the Vest Vallej Site; the '3tatc of New York is
ultimately responsible for managing and disposing of radioactive
waste. (RRS)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobadxsm0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)