The US Energy Department is spending $26M to help find a temporary site to store spent nuclear fuel

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Federal energy regulators are spending $26 million to find communities willing to accept a temporary federal site to store spent nuclear fuel while a permanent repository is completed. According to a recent news release from the U.S. Energy Department, 13 groups made up of industry, academic, nonprofit, government and community representatives will each get $2 million to explore the most equitable approach to picking an interim site to store highly radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. This study is being conducted with the aim of creating a federal site independent of the two private sites proposed for southern New Mexico and Texas, which are embroiled in heated political and legal battles.