Texas in the News Quiz October 11, 2021

Nuclear Waste Through Texas

Texas imports billions of dollars in goods from all over the world but there is one import many would prefer to avoid: nuclear waste. Federal regulators, who have the final say over the regulation and disposal of nuclear waste, issued a federal license to allow a company to ship and house “high level” nuclear waste through north Texas to a holding facility in west Texas.

Not everyone is happy about this arrangement. The legislature passed, and Governor Abbott signed, a law aimed at stopping that from happening. An alliance of environmental groups and oil interests have raised safety concerns about the transmission and storage of the spent nuclear rods. Some in Andrews County welcome the waste because it means jobs and a boost to a struggling local economy. Proponents also argue that Texas already has such storage sites and they are safe.

Read these articles to discover more about this federal-state controversy:


. Who is responsible for regulating nuclear waste?

. What does the law Texas passed regarding the disposal of nuclear waste not say?

. A site in which state was rejected because the location was determined to be unsound by federal regulators?

Back to top