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Event
Yucca Mountain and the Disposal of Nuclear Waste -- Judge Alex Karlin
For over three decades, Yucca Mountain in Nevada has been envisioned as a solution to the nations 75 year old nuclear waste problem.
The federal government has spent over $15 billion studying Yuccas suitability as a permanent disposal facility for this deadly material, yet the project is mired in litigation and controversy. Meanwhile, ever increasing tons of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste sit in temporary storage facilities scattered around the country at over 100 nuclear power plants and numerous nuclear weapons facilities. The Obama administration suspended the Yucca Mountain project in 2010. The Trump administration is now trying to revive it.
This course will address the nature and history of the nations radioactive waste problem, the legal, political, and social arguments for Yucca - pro and con, and the current status of the project. The course will explain how the federal government regulates radioactive materials and the costs, risks, and benefits of Yucca Mountain and its possible alternatives. What are the risks of continued storage? How long will this nuclear waste continue to be a threat?
Closer to home, we will discuss questions such as: what will happen to Diablo Canyons radioactive waste when the plant closes in 2025. Will it stay or go? Where? When? What are the relative risks of storage, transportation, and disposal?
Our instructor, retired Nuclear Regulatory Commission Judge Alex S. Karlin, will share his 40+ years of environmental and nuclear law experience (including working on the Yucca Mountain and Diablo Canyon adjudications) on these timely and important issues.
Alex Karlin is an Administrative Law Judge who served for 11 years on the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel of the USNRC. Judge Karlin presided over the adjudication of Yucca Mountain from 2004 to 2008. He also presided over the adjudication of PG&Es application to renew the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant operating license until 2045. Prior to becoming an NRC Judge in 2004, Alex spent 30 years as an environmental lawyer both at USEPA and in private practice.
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LocationCopeland Educational Center Auditorium in French Hospital (View)
1911 Johnson Ave.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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