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The atomic energy act
Congress passed this act with the understanding that the disposal of the highly radioactive waste produced would be the responsibility of the government. -
Deep disposal
The national academey of sciences recommends deep geological disposal of radoactive waste -
Deep disposal approved
The Department of Energy selects deep geological disposal of nuclear waste as the prefered alternative -
Site nominations
The DOE nominates five repository sites and selects three western sites, one being Nevada. -
postponing repository siting
The DOE postpones the repository siting, violating the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. -
Yucca is designed
Congress designating Yucca Mountain, Nevada as the sole repository site. -
Surface studies
Surface studies begin at the Yucca Mountain site -
Constructing Yucca Mountain
Tunneling into Yucca Mountain begins. -
Thermal testing
Thermal testing begins at Yucca Mountain which is schedualed to take eight years. -
Veto
Congress wants to store fuel in Yucca Mountain but president Bill Clinton vetoed it. -
Another Veto
President Clinton vetos nuclear waste legeslation because of EPA's radiation standards, Yucca project continues. -
Recommendation approved
President George W. Bush approves Energy secretary Spencer Abraham's recommendation of Yucca mountain as a sutable site. -
Waste shippment
DOE announces plans to ship nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain. -
No Shipping
A local indian tribe withdraws its permission to ship nuclear waste through its reservation, forcing DOE to drop its pland. -
Yucca losses
Yucca gets petitioned against and losses.
