The purpose of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project is to determine if Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is a suitable site for a spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste repository. These materials are a result of nuclear power generation and national defense programs and will remain highly radioactive for thousands of years.

Experts throughout the world agree that the most feasible and safe method for disposing of highly radioactive materials is to store them deep underground. Based on this consensus, the United States Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 that directs the Department of Energy to find a site and characterize it. If the site is found to be suitable and a license application is approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy is to build and operate an underground disposal facility.

The project involves extensive scientific study on Yucca Mountain' geology, hydrology, biology, and climate. If found suitable, Yucca Mountain could be part of the nation's first long-term solution to a compelling environmental problem.

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