Wyoming Lawmakers Move Forward with Proposal on Nuclear Waste Storage

A legislative panel in Wyoming has advanced a draft bill that could pave the way for discussions on amending state laws to allow for temporary storage of high-level radioactive fuel waste from nuclear power plants,  Longview News-Journal reports.

The measure, known as “Used Nuclear Fuel Storage-Amendments,” was approved by the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee with limited opposition on Tuesday. This approval means the committee will sponsor the bill when the state Legislature reconvenes in January.

Proponents, including Committee Co-chairman Rep. Donald Burkhart Jr. (R-Rawlins), argue that the bill is a necessary step to align Wyoming’s statutes with federal regulations from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Burkhart, a long-time advocate for bringing nuclear waste to Wyoming, emphasized that this measure simply amends existing law, rather than starting a debate on whether to store nuclear waste in the state.

Burkhart first introduced the potential for new legislation in July, stating that nuclear waste storage could offer Wyoming financial opportunities, particularly as the state’s fossil fuel revenues decline. He estimated that the state could earn more than $4 billion annually from nuclear waste storage. However, he did not revisit those financial projections during Tuesday’s discussion.

Opponents of the bill, including environmental advocates, expressed concerns over the rapid development of the proposal and the potential long-term environmental and social impacts on Wyoming. The Wyoming Outdoor Council and other critics called for more public engagement and local discussions on the matter.

“This means our communities, the tourism we’re reliant upon, our wildlife, our water, our wildlands, will be subjected to a toxic legacy that stems from a rushed decision,” said Carl Fisher, Executive Director of the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

Supporters of the bill argue that it merely enables a conversation and does not commit the state to building a nuclear waste facility. Sen. Ed Cooper (R-Ten Sleep) emphasized that the NRC’s review process includes extensive environmental and public input procedures.

Although the bill would open up the possibility for temporary nuclear waste storage in Wyoming, it does not change a state statute that prohibits building a commercial high-level radioactive waste facility unless the federal government first establishes a permanent repository.