Marty Durlin

Online Editor

Thirteen million dollars later, research by the Department of Energy — intended to supercede Yucca Mountain data tainted by an email scandal three years ago — is, well, no good.

According to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, an independent panel of scientists reporting to Congress, concluded in a 30-page report that “a water infiltration model by DOE and Sandia National Labs did not consider all available data, was not calibrated with other site information and did not consider likely significant evaporation.”

The Yucca Mountain Project is a proposed repository for more than 70,000 metric tons of highly radioactive waste, located 100 northwest of Las Vegas.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., said “it is obvious” DOE tried to “shortcut” research in order to stay on schedule.