Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future

Memorandum of January 29, 2010

Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear
Future

Memorandum for the Secretary of Energy

Expanding our Nation's capacity to generate clean
nuclear energy is crucial to our ability to combat
climate change, enhance energy security, and increase
economic prosperity. My Administration is undertaking
substantial steps to expand the safe, secure, and
responsible use of nuclear energy. These efforts are
critical to accomplishing many of my Administration's
most significant goals.

An important part of a sound, comprehensive, and long-
term domestic nuclear energy strategy is a well-
considered policy for managing used nuclear fuel and
other aspects of the back end of the nuclear fuel
cycle. Yet the Nation's approach, developed more than
20 years ago, to managing materials derived from
nuclear activities, including nuclear fuel and nuclear
waste, has not proven effective. Fortunately, over the
past two decades scientists and engineers in our
country and abroad have learned a great deal about
effective strategies for managing nuclear material. My
Administration is committed to using this advanced
knowledge to meet the Government's obligation to
dispose of our Nation's used nuclear material.

Accordingly, I request that you establish a Blue Ribbon
Commission on America's Nuclear Future (Commission) and
appoint its members. Those members should include
recognized representatives and experts from a range of
disciplines and with a range of perspectives, and may
include participation of appropriate Federal officials.
The Commission's business should be conducted in an
open and transparent manner.

The Commission should conduct a comprehensive review of
policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel
cycle, including all alternatives for the storage,
processing, and disposal of civilian and defense used
nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. This review should
include an evaluation of advanced fuel cycle
technologies that would optimize energy recovery,
resource utilization, and the minimization of materials
derived from nuclear activities in a manner consistent
with U.S. nonproliferation goals.

In performing its functions, the Commission should
consider a broad range of technological and policy
alternatives, and should analyze the scientific,
environmental, budgetary, economic, financial, and
management issues, among others, surrounding each
alternative it considers. Where appropriate, the
Commission may also identify potential statutory
changes.

The Commission should provide an interim report to you
within 18 months of the date of this memorandum, and
that report should be made available for public
comment. The Commission should provide a final report
to you within 24 months of the date of this memorandum.
The Department of Energy shall provide funding and
administrative support for the Commission, as you
determine appropriate, so that it can complete its
functions within these time periods. Additionally, all
executive departments and agencies shall provide such
information and assistance to the Commission as you or
the Commission may request for purposes of carrying out
the Commission's functions, to the extent permitted by
law. Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to
require the disclosure of classified, proprietary, law
enforcement sensitive, or other information protected
under governing law. This memorandum shall be
implemented consistent with applicable law

and subject to the availability of appropriations. This
memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any
right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this
memorandum in the Federal Register.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

WASHINGTON, January 29, 2010