247 



Mr. Downing. Does this constitute a danger ? 



Mr. Price. Yes. 



Mr. Eamey. The high level ? 



Mr. Downing. Yes. 



Mr. Ramey. The program and plan the Commission has established 

 is to require that these high-level wastes which come from licensed 

 nuclear powerplants, must be solidified, and permanently stored far 

 below the ground, such as in a salt mine. 



Mr. Downing. When are you going to do this with the high-level 

 waste ? 



Mr. Ramet. We are in the process of this now. We have plans and 

 a program for a demonstration facility to be prepared in the next 

 few years. 



We have done many experunents on storing there high-level wastes, 

 in dry salt mines, and we believe this is the best technological formi 

 for this permanent storage. 



Mr. Downing. When a submarine carrier is recalled, what do you 

 do with that? 



Is that radioactive? 



Mr. Ramet. The reactor is, of course, but there is essentially no> 

 disposal of waste in a harbor. 



Mr. Price. The "spent" fuel cores, from U.S. Navy vessels are sent 

 to an AEC chemical reprocessing plant, and it is the waste from that 

 operation which is the so-called high-level waste. It is stored in tanka 

 at a Commission installation, and then solidified and put in long-term^ 

 storage. 



Mr. Downing. You have not pursued any further with the idea of' 

 atomic disposal of this material ? 



Mr. Ramey. This has not been an alternative method that has been 

 seriously considered. 



Mr. Rogers. I am somewhat concerned about these plants that hav(&' 

 been built, and the thermal pollution. 



Did you previously allow any thermal pollution to exist? 



Mr. Ramey. Mr. Congressman, this is again a pretty broad subject. 

 I have to remember the chairman's prescription here. 



Mr. Rogers. Just yes or no. 



Mr. Ramey. Until NEPA was passed, and the Muskie act was passed,, 

 the Commission did not have authority to consider the thermal effects: 

 of nuclear powerplants. 



Since that time, as I testified before this committee, the Commis^ 

 sion does apply the requirements of NEPA and the Muskie act. 



Mr. Rogers. Do you still permit mixing areas ? 



Mr._ Ramey. We essentially apply the requirements of the State 

 agencies, and we get a certificate from the State water pollution peo- 

 ple as a condition of our granting a construction permit, so it would" 

 depend on what the State water pollution people did in consultation 

 with the Environmental Protection Agency. 



Mr. Rogers. As I understand it then, your standards are set by the 

 States, not by you as far as thermal pollution is concerned ? 



Mr. Ramey. That is right. 



Mr. Rogers. Should you set the standards ? 



Mr. Ramey. This has been discussed a great deal. We believe that 

 under the current Federal-State pattern, with the States in con- 



