WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy today filed a motion with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to withdraw the license application for a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain with prejudice.

"President Obama is fully committed to ensuring that the Nation meets our long-term storage obligations for nuclear waste," said Department of Energy General Counsel Scott Blake Harris. "In light of the decision not to proceed with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, the President directed Secretary Chu to establish the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and to provide recommendations for developing a safe, long-term solution to managing the Nation's used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste."

The Blue Ribbon Commission's first meeting will take place on March 25th and March 26th.

The motion can be found at the following link: DOE Motion to Withdraw (.pdf).

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