The Energy Department is trying to figure out the extent of a falsification problem, admitted by a USGS employee. The focus is on questionable data regarding computer modeling of water infiltration and climate at Yucca's site, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Do we have to add this as well to other concerns about how the government seems bent on manipulating science and interpretation for its own ends?
Email disclosures indicating government USGS staff may have falsified water infiltration study reports (see
Yucca Mountain Papers May Have Been False) are putting a damper on DOE plans to obtain a federal permit for the nuclear storage site.
The questioned data would be applicable to answering questions concerning the suitability of Yucca site for indefinite storate of nuclear waste. The iffy data is questioned as far back as six years as well as the review process for accepting the data. Apparently the critical issue is water transport, inflitration of the site which could let radioactiveity release into the biosphere.
This development puts a serious roadblock in the DOE's plans to submit related license application by 2010.
As we look at energy options, the recent Mercury rules the EPA promulgated for coal-fired utility plants (which are far weaker than the State of Wisconsin's), it looks like we have a government faced with very difficult choices, regardless of red or blue. How to care for nuclear waste is a long term human obligation for at least tens of thousands of years. How will generations in the future view the early 21st century's actions by our leaders?
Time to press senators for an investigation into the house of cards of documentation supporting the Yucca Mountain site selection.
What is the extent to which data was manipulated to make Yucca look acceptable? How far from acceptable as a long term nuclear storage site is Yucca Mountain really? Who knew about this and for how long? Did anyone higher up in the administration know about the falsification or help orchestrate the manipulation of data?
Can we get red and blue representatives to mutually press on this matter and finally come up with a bipartisan issue?