Green Groups Lose Bid to Intervene in Nuclear Fuel Storage Fight

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission reasonably and legally blocked environmental groups from intervening in a New Mexico spent nuclear fuel storage facility battle, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled Tuesday.

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied several petitions challenging the commission’s decision, saying in its opinion that federal regulators were within their right to reject environmentalists’ requests to intervene.

Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, had complained to the commission about nuclear reactor parts manufacturer Holtec International’s application to build and run a spent nuclear fuel storage facility in Lea County, N.M.

The commission’s Atomic ...