Year
1989
Abstract
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WEPP) in southeast New Mexico has been constructed and is physically ready to receive transuranic (TRU) wastes generated by Department of Energy defense programs. But before radioactive wastes can be received at WIPP, the site land must be withdrawn from public domain, either by legislative action or administrative withdrawal; the waste transporter—TRUPACT—must be certified by the NRC; the WIPP plan for activities loading to determination of compliance with the EPA standard for geologic disposal must be reviewed by the State of New Mexico and the National Academy of Science; and the EPA/New Mexico mixed waste regulations must be satisfactorily addressed. DOE anticipates these hurdles will be surmounted and that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will be issued in time to allow WIPP to receive waste in September 1989. Technical and engineering issues which are now being addressed relate to seal design for repository, the brine seepage from the salt, gas generation from the waste, the radioactive source term and the ultimate state of the waste rooms after salt creep consolidation. The efficacy of the engineered modifications is also being examined in the experimental program. Results of these and earlier studies will be incorporated into performance assessment of the WIPP in order to determine compliance with the EPA standard for geologic disposal before the end of 1994. All these issues will be discussed in this presentation.