B-192999: May 22, 1979

The question was raised as to whether a State has the right to veto the establishment of a nuclear waste repository within its boundaries by withholding consent to exclusive Federal jurisdiction. GAO expressed the opinion that the Secretary of Energy has no authority to provide through agreement with a State a veto power over sites he has designated for nuclear waste storage. Although Clause 17 of...

B-192999: Published: Sep 7, 1979. Publicly Released: Jun 4, 1985.

Concern was expressed about certain Department of Energy (DOE) policies in connection with construction and operation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. DOE has stated publicly that it will terminate federal activities at any stage of construction or operation in the absence of concurrence by the State of New Mexico. On two previous occasions, GAO considered the legality of DOE policy to permit t...