Despite the recent reduction of three staff members at the North Carolina Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Authority and the resignation of executive director John Mac Millan, waste site advocates are saying it's not time to panic. I continue to think that the Wake site is an appropriate site. I think it could be shown to meet the licensing requirements. It'll take an additional investment beyond that which has been spent to date.
Money appears to be the bone of contention.
The inability to get the site licensed has some Compact Commissioners wondering if the additional investment is worth the risk should the Wake site never be licensed. Once open for business, the Wake site would ostensibly generate millions of dollars from tipping fees charged to waste generators using the dump. Hence, any investment now could mean a recouping of those costs later. However, questions of the economic viability of the project remain. Despite recent events, none of the parties has articulated an alternative plan should the Wake site be abandoned.