The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted an application from Holtec International to store up to 100,000 metric tons of spent fuel rods at a site located between Carlsbad and Hobbs, New Mexico. This decision marks the beginning of a multi-year process that will involve public meetings in New Mexico, potentially starting in April, as well as quasi-legal hearings that may take place in 2019. Holtec's proposal suggests that the spent fuel could be stored for up to 120 years.

The Sierra Club acknowledges the necessity for safe storage of used commercial nuclear fuel rods due to their long-lasting radioactivity. The current practice involves cooling these rods in water pools at reactor sites before moving them into canisters for on-site storage. The Sierra Club plans to participate in the NRC process because of concerns about Holtec's plan to relocate these canisters to a "temporary" location until a permanent solution is found. They emphasize that minimizing the movement of radioactive waste will reduce risk, whereas moving it twice—first to a temporary location and then to a permanent one—could increase risks for workers and nearby residents.

Transporting these heavy canisters, each weighing over 185 tons, poses challenges for the U.S. rail system. A Department of Energy analysis concerning Nevada’s Yucca Mountain site projected potential fatalities related to transportation: 160-180 latent cancer cases among workers and up to 110 traffic-related deaths.

Don Hancock, Nuclear Programs Director at Southwest Research and Information Center, shared his insights on this development:

John Buchser, Water Committee chair for the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, also expressed his reaction:

An artist's rendering from Holtec International depicts what the HI-STORE CIS Storage Facility might look like.