Radioactive waste management system: Project Decision Schedule; Revision 1

This is the first revision of the Project Decision Schedule (PDS) for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program. The status date for milestones in the PDS is as of April 1991. This revision replaces the original PDS issued in March 1986. The PDS, which is required by Section 114(e) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, as amended, is to portray the optimum way to attain the operation of the repository. The PDS includes a description of objectives and a sequence of deadlines for all Federal agencies that are required to take action in achieving this goal. The activity deadlines in this issue of the PDS are based on the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987 and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management`s Program Schedule Baseline. The Program Schedule Baseline supports the Secretary of Energy`s Report to Congress on Reassessment of the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program, November 1989. That report, among other things, contains the results of a comprehensive review of the schedule for repository-related activities, including a realistic assessment of activity durations and past experience. This schedule shows a significant slip for the expected start of repository operations -- from the year 2003 to approximately 2010. To promote the Department of Energy`s ability to achieve the new milestones and goals, the Secretary of Energy announced an action plan that centers on gaining access to the Yucca Mountain candidate site to continue the scientific investigations needed to evaluate the site`s suitability for a repository and on establishing integrated Monitored Retrievable Storage with a target for spent fuel acceptance in 1998. 5 figs., 6 tabs