Congressman Pearce to Speak at Carlsbad Nuclear Summit

    CARLSBAD, NM, August 17, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The U.S. Congressman whose district includes the world-famous Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the newest uranium enrichment plant in the United States will deliver a special dinner presentation during the second annual National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit, scheduled for Oct. 14-17, in Carlsbad, N.M.

"I'm looking forward to joining my fellow New Mexicans at this year's National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit in Carlsbad," said Congressman Stevan Pearce. "Our nation's nuclear history is deeply rooted here in southern New Mexico, and today, Carlsbad continues to demonstrate its success as a global leader in safe, effective nuclear cleanup and disposal. I look forward to a productive and fruitful conversation with the nation's leaders and experts in nuclear energy, and I thank all those in Carlsbad who have worked hard for the success of this event and for America's energy future."

WIPP, located about 26 miles southeast of Carlsbad, is a U.S. Department of Energy facility used for the permanent disposal of defense-generated transuranic (TRU) waste. TRU waste is permanently disposed of in the thick salt beds of an underground repository, 2,150 feet beneath the earth's surface.

Congressman Pearce is the sponsor of H.R. 1879, now part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which would allow WIPP to handle government-owned TRU waste from other sources within the Department of Energy. The bill would still only allow WIPP to accept government-owned TRU waste, and the material would have to meet WIPP's Waste Acceptance Criteria.

The focus of this year's summit will be "Balancing Policy with Science," and the event will take a comprehensive look at the nation's nuclear history and paths forward to cleaning up the nation's nuclear waste. Limited tours of WIPP will be available as part of the summit.

The list of nuclear experts speaking at the summit also includes:

- Lake Barrett, former head of the US Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Nuclear Waste Management, will discuss why the Office of the Nuclear Waste Negotiator failed.
- Tom Cotton, with Complex Systems Group LLC, will lead a discussion called "Early Radioactive Waste Management, Evolution of Policies, Laws and Regulations."
- Dan Metlay, Senior Staff Member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB), will discuss the NWTRB's perspective on high-level waste and used nuclear fuel management.
- Mark Peters, with Argonne National Laboratory, will deliver a primer on nuclear reprocessing.
- Many more outstanding speakers will be presenting at the summit.

Visit www.nuclearfuelcyclesummit.org for more information and to sign up for the National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit.

The Carlsbad Department of Development promotes the economic and general welfare of the citizens of the City of Carlsbad and South Eddy County, New Mexico.

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