Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: Why Moving Nuclear Waste Without a Real Solution Is Irresponsible
Across the country, spent nuclear fuel - among the most dangerous forms of radioactive waste - sits securely in dry storage casks at reactor sites. It’s out of sight, heavily monitored, and sealed. It’s not ideal, but it’s stable. So why is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission - a federal agency - working so diligently to ensure that two private companies get licensed to relocate that radioactive waste across the country? The nation’s entire inventory of deadly spent nuclear fuel will be consolidated at two sites about 30 miles apart which will be an overwhelming burden for two small communities - all without a long-term plan for permanent disposal.
The answer isn’t safety—it’s about convenience and cash. The private companies will benefit from America’s Judgment Fund and collect billions for waste storage, and the NRC is helping them. Transporting deadly spent nuclear fuel cross-country by barge and rail on a weekly basis for at least the next forty years puts communities along the rail lines at risk. It puts communities along the Eastern Coast at risk. And it puts two small towns in Texas and New Mexico at risk. We say to you, It is unwise to wake this sleeping dog without a disposal plan in place.
Don’t Create a New Problem to Pretend You Solved the Old One
For decades, the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission have failed to deliver a permanent nuclear waste solution. The result? Thousands of tons of spent fuel are stored at power plants across the country.
Despite having spent 14 billion dollars to develop a permanent repository at Yucca Mountain, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has abandoned the pursuit of permanent deep geologic disposal of deadly spent nuclear fuel. Instead, the NRC is licensing private companies to haul this material to “temporary” sites in Texas and New Mexico—sites that do not meet the criteria for waste storage and which have been disqualified by mountains of evidence. Yet, the NRC has arrogantly dismissed every single contention raised and has brushed off all evidence that is contrary to their objective - which is to kick the can down the road in a risky, unprecedented and unlawful move.
Moving this high-level nuclear waste now is not a solution. It’s a distraction—and it’s a benefit to two private companies that are having their way with a federal agency.
Risking Transport for No Clear Benefit
Transporting spent nuclear fuel is incredibly dangerous. Accidents, leaks, sabotage—these risks increase the moment we move it. And what’s the upside?
The waste still won’t be permanently disposed
Communities along the transport route and those near the storage sites in Texas and New Mexico will face new risks
Taxpayers foot the bill for enhancing rail lines, logistics, security, and accidents
If the waste is stable where it is, and there’s no permanent site yet, why move it at all?
Let’s Embrace Technological Progress Instead
Science is evolving. New innovations are emerging that could drastically change how we manage nuclear waste:
Research into waste reprocessing and advanced recycling
Concepts for deep borehole disposal or newer reactor types that consume existing waste
Long-term monitoring solutions that improve safety on site
By holding off on transport and investing in these innovations, we preserve optionality—and avoid locking ourselves into a failed system.
Common Sense Says Wait
We understand the desire of metropolitan areas seeking to be rid of their waste—but their sense of urgency should never replace responsibility. Until a real solution exists—one that:
Respects state and local consent
Meets scientific, environmental, and legal standards
Guarantees permanent safety, not political optics
...we believe it is smarter, safer, and more ethical to leave the waste where it is.
✅ TAKE ACTION
There’s no wisdom in moving dangerous waste without a real plan. Transporting high-level nuclear waste across the country to so-called “temporary” sites without a permanent solution is reckless—and deeply irresponsible. It gambles with public safety, ignores the will of local communities, and creates long-term risks with no exit strategy. Tell the White House: Hit pause on this dangerous plan. Demand a permanent, science-based solution—one that respects consent, safety, and common sense.