INL director says 1995 agreement not violated

Two former governors are threatening to sue the U.S. government. Former Idaho Govs. Phil Batt and Cecil Andrus filed a “notice of their intent” to sue the U.S. Department of Energy over spent nuclear fuel rods possibly being brought to Idaho.

Two shipments of 100 pounds each are scheduled to arrive here for research. One shipment is set for June and the other in December.

Batt and Andrus say this would violate the 1995 agreement to remove and keep nuclear waste out of Idaho. Eyewitness News anchor Todd Kunz asked the director of the Idaho National Laboratory, John Grossenbacher, why he thinks this does not violate that agreement.

“This is not waste. This is not material that is being brought here for storage until we can dispose of it, to put here. This is research material. It’s not fuel that’s being dumped or disposed of here. And I think that was their intent, dump and disposal,” said Grossenbacher.

“Is it safe?” Kunz asked.

“Absolutely, or we wouldn’t do it. My people wouldn’t do it,” said Grossenbacher.

“They sue the government and you are not allowed to do what you do?” asked Kunz.

“It undermines the primary mission of the lab and the future of the lab. This work, at some level, can be done at other places in the country. Idaho is fortunate because we have a concentration of capabilities, facilities and people like no other. And if this country is going to have a future in nuclear energy, then that future needs to be anchored in Idaho,” said Grossenbacher.

Grossenbacher said the agreement has allowance provisions for this type of material and also amounts. This is just a very small amount, he said.

Opponents express concerns for the environment and specifically the Snake Plain Aquifer.