A national poll found that 54 percent of respondents believe an independent agency run by a corporate-style board of directors would do a better job of managing the storage of nuclear waste than a federal regulator.
The national survey, conducted by Quest Global Research for Bisconti Research from Feb. 18 to March 1, found that only 39 percent agreed that spent fuel should be handled by a “federal government agency.”
A large majority – 84 percent – agreed with the statement that “the United States should retool its program for managing spent nuclear fuel rods from nuclear power plants to focus on consolidating the fuel rods at interim storage centers while the nation develops a permanent disposal facility.”
In addition, close to half of those polled, 45 percent, indicated that they strongly agreed the U.S. should develop interim storage facilities, while only 5 percent strongly disagreed.
Results of the poll were timely. Last week, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would create an independent agency to manage U.S. spent fuel from nuclear power plants.
"The public may express changing views about who should manage the storage facilities, but support for consolidating used nuclear fuel has been constant for a long time," said Bisconti Research President Ann Bisconti.