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GAO Work on Nuclear Waste Issue

Published: Jul 31, 1986. Publicly Released: Jul 31, 1986.
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Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO: (1) provided an overview of its work on the nuclear waste issue; and (2) testified on relations between the Department of Energy (DOE), states, and Indian tribes regarding the waste program. In its previous reports, GAO determined that the DOE: (1) plan for constructing a monitored retrievable storage facility could hinder the repository program's progress because of limited technical staff and financial resources; (2) siting approach interpreting the Nuclear Waste Policy Act as requiring only one suitable site would jeopardize the first-repository program's success; and (3) guidelines for financial assistance were not clear because they did not cover all funding circumstances. GAO noted that DOE officials acknowledged that they were slow to involve states and tribes in the first-repository program, but stated that they had taken substantial steps to react to state comments and to allow more state and tribal participation in the program.

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