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February 12, 1980 

 THE WHITE HOUSE 

 FACT SHEET 

 THE PRESIDENT'S PROGRAM ON RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT 



HIGHLIGHTS 



In a Message sent to Congress today, the President outlined a 

 comprehensive national radioactive waste management program. 

 This program is based on the report of the Interagency Review 

 Group on Nuclear Waste Management published in March', 1979. 



The paramount objective in managing nuclear wastes is to protect 

 the health and safety of all Americans, both now and in the 

 future. The disposal of nuclear waste should not and will not be 

 deferred to future generations. 



The key elements of the President's program are: 



• All levels of government share the responsibility for 

 safe management and disposal of nuclear wastes. 



In order to provide a more effective role for State 

 and local governments the President has created a 

 State Planning Council of elected State, local, and 

 tribal officials and heads of cabinet departments 

 and other federal agencies. Governor Richard Riley 

 of South Carolina will serve as Chairman. State 

 Representative Paul Hess of Kansas will serve as 

 Vice Chairman. The Council will advise the 

 Executive Branch and will work with Congress on key 

 radioactive waste management and disposal issues, 

 especially related institutional decisions. 



The basis of the relationship between States and the 

 Federal government in the siting of high level waste 

 repositories will be the principle of consultation 

 and concurrence. 



• Pending reviews required by the national Environmental 

 Policy Act, an interim planning strategy for disposal 

 of high level and transuranic waste has been adopted 

 that relies on mined geologic repositories . 



The program directed toward siting and opening 

 repositories will be technically conservative, 

 include expanded and technically diversified 

 research and development and site investigations, 

 and move carefully, in a step by step manner, toward 

 site selection and operation of the first high level 

 waste repository. 



