Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2010 / Presidential Documents 5485 

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 

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5486 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2010 / Presidential Documents 

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 

[FR Doc. 2010–2421 

Filed 2–2–10; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 6450–01–P 


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