Washington
By ROBERT MACKAY

A permanent nuclear burying ground in Illinois?

A 900-ACRE piece of land near Morris, Ill., will probably become a federal storage site for spent nuclear fuel, but it is unlikely it will be designated the sole dumping ground for the nation's nuclear waste as some local and state officials fear. Federal officials have indicated that the General Electric Company's spent nuclear fuel storage site near Morris will probably be expanded to become a regional repository for low-level radioactive wastes, with other sites in other regions of the country designated for the same purpose.

President Carter asked Congress in mid-February for authority to establish the nation's first comprehensive radioactive waste management program. Carter said he will select by 1985 at least one permanent repository for high-level radioactive wastes from among 11 potential sites, none in Illinois, and have it operational in the mid-1990's. Carter also proposed a repository for spent nuclear fuel by 1983, and for legislation by 1981 allowing the government to buy at least one site away from nuclear reactors for storing spent fuel now accumulating on location at those reactor sites. Possible sites for this facility were listed as Morris; Barnwell, S.C.; and West Valley, N.Y.

The key words in that part of Carter's statement were "at least one site." Rep. Tom Corcoran (R., Ill.), whose district includes Morris, vowed to fight any attempt to make Morris the sole storage site in the nation, but added he had been assured by Energy Department Undersecretary John Deutch that there will be more than one site chosen for the storage of spent nuclear fuel.

Also, Dr. George Cunningham, an assistant secretary for nuclear energy in the Department of Energy, said it would be "very unlikely" that one site would be chosen for the facility. "Morris is not sufficient to store all that" spent fuel alone, Cunningham said. Besides, he added, the department's program is "based on a regional basis . . . it's part of the program philosophy."

Morris and the other two sites are being considered because they are the only existing storage sites under license of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Cunningham said all three of the sites could be eliminated from consideration if there is a new, large storage facility created by 1983. But that appears doubtful, because the issue is controversial and most utilities would prefer to find additional space near their reactors to store spent fuel than go through the red tape necessary to create an "away-from-reactor," or AFR, site.

That leaves Morris, Barnwell and West Valley as possible sites, and Morris appears to be a very likely choice.

Cunningham, whose department will recommend which sites should be chosen, said Barnwell is the largest facility of the three and "certainly would be the most useful to store large quantities" of spent nuclear fuel. But Morris ranks second in size, also making it attractive as a site, while West Valley is the smallest of the three.

Geographic reasons

In making its recommendations, Cunningham said the department will look at each of the sites to determine its capability to store large amounts of spent fuel and also at its proximity to rail and highway transportation. That makes Morris look even more attractive, since it is near a hub of rail and highway traffic. And although Morris is only 55 miles southwest of Chicago, a major population center, that doesn't put it out of the running.

Cunningham said spent nuclear fuel contains low levels of radioactivity and becomes harmless after 20 to 50 years. "When you're talking about handling spent fuel, you're talking about the same [safety] criteria used when locating a nuclear reactor," Cunningham said, noting the Morris site adjoins land owned by Commonwealth Edison's Dresden nuclear power plant.

Spent fuel involves radioactive wastes produced by the breakdown of uranium in the atom-splitting process that generates heat in nuclear power plants. Low-level nuclear wastes —which may exist as gases, liquids or solids — can also be produced by a variety of activities, including medical treatment and research. Overexposure to the wastes can cause cancer and other biological damage.

Most nuclear plants store spent fuel in facilities on plant grounds, but many of them are beginning to run out of room. Also, hospitals are beginning to have trouble finding sites that will accept their radioactive wastes. This led to Carter's decision io designate one or more sites as permanent repositories for low-level radioactive waste.

Political reasons

Another reason Morris appears to be a likely choice as a federal burying ground is the State Planning Council, which Carter created to advise the executive branch and Congress in planning and siting facilities. Carter named Gov. Richard W. Riley of South Carolina, who has a direct interest in the Barnwell site, as chairman of the council. And the 19 members of the council will be comprised of state and local representatives from every state- except Illinois — that might be asked to take site responsibility for radioactive waste.

Corcoran, upon learning of the makeup of the council, accused Carter

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Nuclear burying ground

of "intending to ramrod through Congress ... a plan to make Morris the nation's dumping ground for nuclear waste." However, legislation must be submitted to Congress to make the council permanent, and Corcoran and others will undoubtedly fight to get someone from Illinois on the council.

Corcoran is not against making Morris a regional storage site. Sen. Adlai E. Stevenson III has been in favor of the regional storage concept for some time. And even some of the local officials in and around Morris have indicated they would not oppose it as a regional site — just as long as it is not designated the sole storage site in the nation. Sen. Charles H. Percy is against the idea of making Morris a repository and said spent fuel should be stored at reactor sites until permanent disposal sites for all nuclear wastes are prepared.

But with Corcoran, Stevenson and other officials supporting the regional concept, it appears likely Morris will be designated — probably along with Barnwell, S.C. — as a regional storage site for low-level nuclear waste. The government might even throw in West Valley, just to make it appear truly regional.

8/April 1980/Illinois Issues