The storage of nuclear waste in the U.S. is a growing problem because the lack of a permanent repository means waste has to be stored at sites located in 35 states across the country. Establishing an independent agency at the Dept. of Energy will help ensure that the federal government finally fulfills its legal obligation to come up with a nuclear waste storage solution.
Experience has shown that a federally-controlled, centrally planned nuclear waste disposal program doesn’t work. Rather than relying on the federal government to deal with nuclear waste, we should look to the nuclear industry itself to deal with this problem as part of its business.