America's Nuclear Wastelands: Politics, Accountability, and Cleanup

By the end of the Cold War, 45 years of weapons production and nuclear research had generated a sobering legacy: 1.7 trillion gallons of contaminated groundwater; 40 million cubic meters of tainted soil and debris; over 2,000 tons of intensely radioactive spent nuclear fuel; more than 160,000 cubic meters of radioactive and hazardous waste; and over 100 million gallons of liquid, high-level radioactive waste. The Environmental Management Program estimated that it could require $212 billion and 70 years to clean up the nuclear waste and contamination at 113 sites.

By 2006, the Department of Energy had expended about $90 billion and greatly reduced risks from catastrophic accidents. Management of critical nuclear materials was more efficient, secure, and accountable. Cleanup was complete at three relatively large, complex weapons productions sites and many smaller ones. Yet problems remain. Long-lived radioactive isotopes discharged into the soil will persist in slow migration, contaminating groundwater. Storage tanks containing high-level waste will continue to deteriorate. Long-term nuclear repositories will require unremitting management to protect future generations, and additional facilities need to be developed. Public participation will be needed to help guide the process and produce satisfactory outcomes.

In America's Nuclear Wastelands, Max S. Power uses non-technical language to present a brief overview of nuclear weapons history and contamination issues, as well as a description of the institutional and political environment. He provides a background for understanding the major value conflicts and associated political dynamics, and makes recommendations for navigating long-term stewardship, but his key purpose is to demonstrate the critical role of public participation, and in so doing, encourage citizens to take action regarding local and national policies related to nuclear production and waste disposal.

Dr. Max Power (National Merit/Rhodes/Fulbright/Danforth Scholar) is a government consultant with a long career in Pacific Northwest nuclear waste issues.