WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the locations of eight public meetings on the Department’s consent-based siting initiative. These eight public meetings are part of the Department’s effort to seek input from the public on designing a fair and effective process for siting the facilities needed to manage the nation’s spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.

The first meeting will be held on March 29 in Chicago at the University of Chicago Conference Center. The second will be held on April 11 in Atlanta at the Georgia Institute of Technology Conference Center. Six more meetings will be held through July in Boise, Idaho; Boston; Denver; Minneapolis; Sacramento, California; and Tempe, Arizona.  

The locations for public meetings were selected to allow participants across the country to have the option to attend in person. Additionally, those unable to attend will be able to participate in each event online. The Department is interested in hearing from states, communities, tribal nations, and interested stakeholders on the following questions:

  • How can the Department ensure that the process for selecting a site is fair?
  • What models and experience should the Department use in designing the process?
  • Who should be involved in the process for selecting a site, and what is their role?
  • What information and resources do you think would facilitate your participation?
  • What else should be considered?

The Department has also issued an Invitation for Public Comment in the Federal Register seeking input on these same questions. The input provided through the Invitation for Public Comment or the eight public meetings will inform the design of consent-based siting process, which will in turn serve as a framework for engaging with potential host communities in the future. Ultimately, the Department aims to work collaboratively with the public and interested communities to begin identifying potential partners in managing the nation’s spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.