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![handle is hein.gao/gaobadxuk0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DOCUMENT RESUME
02463 - (A1752783]
The Problem of Cleaning Up the remains of Nuclear Facilities.
June 16, 1977. 11 pp.
Testimony before the House Committee on Science and Technology:
Environment and the Atmosphere Subcommittee; by Monte Canfield,
Jr., Director, Energy and Minerals Div.
Issue Area: Energy: Making Nuclear Fission a Substantial Energy
Source (1608).
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy:
Energy (305).
Organization Concerned: Energy Research and Development
Adiini-tration; Nuclear Regulatory commission.
Congressional Relevance: House Committee on Science and
Technology: Environmevt and the Atmosphere Subcc2mittee.
Authority: H.R. 6181 (95th Cong.).
When nuclear facilities are shut down, cleaning up the
remains presents speclal problems because of radioactivity.
Responsibility fcr this cleaning ul. rests primarily with the
Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with additional help from
the Enfironmental Protection Agency and the states. ERDA has not
given enough attention to its facilities that are now obsolete,
which have been accumulating. ERDA estimated the cost for
decommissioning (disposing of) present excess facilities at $25
to $30 million a year for the next 100 years. GAO doeL not
believe that ERDA has sufficient data to support this estimate.
NRC has done little to provide guidance for decommissioning
commercial nuclear facilities. It dces not require owners of
most nuclear facilities to cover costs of future
decommissioning, and thus costs could be assumed by Federal or
State Governments. Questions that have not been answerea by
Federal agencies are how much it will cost to decommission
facilities, who will pay costs, and how many facilities are
involved. Other questions which must be answered relAte to
methods for decommissioning, possible changes in radiation
standards, and the future role of nuclear power. Congress shoull
designate one lead Federal agency to approve and monitor an
overall decommissioning strateqy. Although it was thought that
ERDA should continue research and development efforts, NRC was
considered uniquely suited for the lead role. (HTW)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobadxuk0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)