Nuclear Waste Disposal At Yucca Mountain: Right Or Wrong? Essay

Nuclear Waste Disposal At Yucca Mountain proficient or Wrong?As the United States nuclear mess up buildup becomes larger, the need fora unchanging storage facility becomes more urgent. One proposed set is in theYucca Mountains of Nevada. This makes many Nevadans uneasy, as visions ofthree-legged babies and phosphorescent people come to mind. This is anunfounded worry, as many reasons prove. In fact, the Yucca Mountains provide anideal site for a permanent underground nuclear waste facility in the U.S.While the Yucca Mountains are the best site we have found as of yet,this procedure will comprise a huge amount of taxpayer dollars. The Department ofEnergy (DOE) estimates the total cost of its high-level waste management programat $25-35 billion. Completing the scientific investigating and licensing of theYucca Mountain site is expected to cost $6-7 billion alone. At the end of 1993,total nuclear waste fund expenditures through the end of the year were approximately3.7 billion. Very little of this money comes from individual investors. If aretrievable facility (one where the casks of spent fuel can be retrieved later)is built, this will be a nice deal more. Other disposal types, such as sub-seabed and space disposal may prove to be cheaper at a later time.This is a cause for concern, but there are a greater amount of reasonsto further and eventually finish the Yucca Mountain Project. One is the desertclimate naturally occurring in the western United States. The weather is dryand warm and their are very few natural disasters, such as earthquakes. Also,this part of the nation has a lower peeing table than the rest of the country.This reduces the risk of water contamination in case of a breach.This is only one safety cushion that the proposed site provides. Thereare several more. All of these factors add up to a relatively stableenvironment. But will it be stable enough? If a permanent site is constructed,it will have to remain stable for 10,000 years. Thi s is a very long time,considering the United States has only existed for a little over 200. Duringthis period, if a breach occurs, the western United States water supply couldbecome contaminated, and cost the federal government even more to clean. Thequestion is whether or not t... ...orage structure. Also, fractures in the saltare self-sealing, which will stop radiation for simply floating up to thesurface through pores, cracks, or faults in the judder. This type of host rock(the rock that surrounds the site) will give the site both a man-made andnatural protection.But perhaps the most beneficial protection is the remoteness of the localisation of function of the site. Located in Nevada, which has a very low populationdensity (only 0-2 people per square mile*) the risk of humans accidentallytampering with the deposit is very low. Also to be noted is that there willbe no construction or utility digging. Nevadans will see to it that the site remain untouched.All points taken, the Yucca Mountains are currently the best spot tostore the countrys ever growing buildup of nuclear waste. Due to its remotelocation, secure land formations, and low water table, this area provides anideal and secure spot for the huge amount of potentially harmful material. TheU.S. is in dire need of a permanent nuclear waste disposal site, and this is thebest option right now. The usual dawdle of the federal government will only actagainst us in this matter.