Nuclear and Coal Waste Disposal Hampered by Legal, Regulatory, and Technical Uncertainties

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO compared the problems and uncertainties of nuclear and coal fuel cycle waste disposal. The issues involved the determination of the problems, progress, and status of disposal efforts for each nuclear and coal waste type primarily produced by electric generation. These issues included: (1) problems associated with waste collection and disposal; (2) present technical capability of waste collection and disposal; (3) present capability of the transportation system to transport the wastes; (4) comparative costs of waste disposal; (5) legal, regulatory, or institutional uncertainties affecting waste disposal; and (6) current status, progress, and problems of programs aimed at resolving these issues.