美国田纳西州、路易斯安那州、俄克拉荷马州、犹他州和爱达荷州同意在联邦帮助下接收全国核废料，作为推进民用核能产业发展的交换条件[1]。这些非约束性协议旨在建设核燃料循环创新园区，规划包括核废料存储、铀浓缩、燃料重处理等设施[1]。根据项目预估，这些园区可能吸引高达500亿美元的私人投资，同时为州和地方产生约100亿美元的税收[1]。
美国能源部长克里斯·赖特表示，"这些园区将是大规模经济增长的发动机，对释放美国核能文艺复兴至关重要"[1]。田纳西州州长比尔·李称，"作为全球核能中心，田纳西州荣幸被选为潜在主持方"[1]。美国众议院议员迈克·莱文评价这一举措为"往正确方向迈出的里程碑式一步。几十年来首次有州主动接受核废料"[1]。
该举措旨在解决超过95,000公吨核燃料废料的长期存储难题[1]，并支持特朗普政府四倍增加国内核能产量的目标[1]。此前，内华达州尤卡山永久地下存储设施的计划已长期停滞[1]。
Five U.S. states—Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Idaho—have agreed to accept the nation's nuclear waste under federal assistance in exchange for support in developing their civilian nuclear energy industries.[1] These non-binding agreements aim to establish nuclear fuel cycle innovation parks that would include facilities for nuclear waste storage, uranium enrichment, and fuel reprocessing.[1] The initiative could potentially attract up to $50 billion in private investment and generate approximately $10 billion in state and local tax revenue.[1]
The proposal directly addresses the long-term storage challenge posed by more than 95,000 metric tons of nuclear fuel waste and radioactive materials accumulating across the country.[1] Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that "these parks will be engines of massive economic growth...critical to unleashing an American nuclear renaissance," while Tennessee Governor Bill Lee expressed that the state was "honored to be selected as a potential host" as "a global nuclear energy center."[1] U.S. Representative Mike Levin called the arrangement "a milestone step in the right direction," noting that "for the first time in decades, states are voluntarily stepping up to accept nuclear waste."[1] The initiative aligns with the Trump administration's goal of quadrupling domestic nuclear energy production.[1]