The Maine Yankee Nuclear Power plant has been closed for 13 years, but its spent nuclear fuel rods remain on site in the midcoast town of Wiscasset, stored in casks that are likely to be there for at least the next 20 years. The question of what to do with the nation's growing stockpile of high level radioactive waste is now in the hands of a special commission.

A subcommitee of that panel, focussed on storage and transporation of spent fuel, was in Wiscasset today, to hold a public hearing on the problem. Critics of Maine Yankee, and nuclear power in general, are skeptical about the government's committment to finding a safe, and sensible strategy for dealing with the problem.

Its called the Blue Ribbon Commission On America's Nuclear Future. It was created by the Obama Admistration, which last year pulled the plug on the proposed Yucca Mountain high level waste storage plan, and vowed to pursue a new strategy. The Blue Ribbon Commission's charge: to develop a safe, long term solution for the management of used nuclear fuel, and radioactive waste. A four member subcomittee of the panel, focussed on Transporation and Storage came to Wiscasset to hear from state and local officials, and from the general public, about what should happen to the 550 metric tons of high level waste now stored in casks on site. Early in the hearing, Commissioner Susan Eisenhower questioned Maine Yankee's Chief Nuclear Officer Wayne Norton about the company's plans for securing the fuel at the site

"In your testimony you say that you can continue to assjure the safety and security of this facility for a temporary period of time," said Eisenhower. "Tthe question is how long and at what cost? We take very seiously our responsiblity to safely and securely gaurd the fuel until the government performs its obligations."

And since the federal goverment currently has no plan for the long term storage of high level radioactive waste from the nation's power plants, its unclear how long that wait might be. Norton says Maine Yankee is licensed to store the waste for 20 years, and is prepared to renew that license if necessary. Another option, which Norton and others in the industry recommend, is the creation of an interim storage site, which could recieve spent fuel from the nation's 13 closed nuclear plants, including Maine Yankee. But Subcommitee co-Chair Richard Meserve questioned state and local regulators, including Brian O'Connell of the National Association of Regulatory Utililty Commissioners about the possible safety risks of moving fuel to an interim storage facility

"If one creates an interim storage site, and utlimately a disposal site elswhere, that you then are transporting the fuel twice, and handling it twice, the DOE study acknoweldged that one of of the downsides is that there would be a "double handling"

After several hours of prepared statements and panel discussion it was the public's turn to weigh in.

"I am insane?" said local resident Kenneth Schuller. "Because you're insane..we're all insane for letting this happen."

Schuller says he doesn't trust the security at the exisiting storage site and he doesn't believe that an evacuation plan could work in an emergency involving the spent fuel.

"None of the roads are adequate," said Schuller. "They're all deterioarting, we can't even get across the bridge with Red's Eats. If this thing melts we might as well all sit down and have a beer."

And long time anti-nuclear activist and former legislator Maria Holt questions the wisdom of allowing the nuclear industry to continue making high level waste, when there isn't a solution for existing waste.

"I find it interesting that wer'e talking about keeping Yucca Mountain open," said Holt. "And yet we still go on making more so my question is couldn't we stop making it?"

Marge Kilkelly, chair of the Community Advisory Panel, says she's encouraged by the Subcommittee's willingness to come to Wiscasset to visit the site, and believes it will take its job seriously.

"They looked at this beautiful site that used to have plant and employee building and saw that its there and available but can't be used to its top opportunity becuse of the spent fuel that's there," said Kilkelly. "And its really the last page in this book that has to closed in this process."

But fellow long-time anti-nuclear activist Ray Shadis, who, apart from a brief public comment, was denied a place on the subcommitee's agenda, says that little came out of the session. Shadis says the only way to get movement on the issue of spent fuel storage is to make it clear to President Obama that the U.S. must stop creating nuclear waste, and must come up with a scientifically defensible solution to the storage problem.

"And that goes the same for our congressional team," Shadis said. "They really need to know that this dog and pony show put on today is mockery of a fact-finding junket. I mean what kind of facts did they find, please? This kind of thing won't wash people won't put up with it."

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, meanwhile has two years to deliver its final report. In the meantime, Maine Yankee officials esimate that ratepayers are contributing between 6 and 8 million dollars a year in storage fees, insurance, security and taxes to keep spent fuel housed on-site in Wiscasset.