Why It Matters
North Dakota’s existing ban on long-term storage of high-level radioactive waste has become a central obstacle as the state explores whether nuclear energy is a viable option for its future power grid. A legislative committee is now examining whether a targeted exception to that ban — one that would permit temporary on-site storage — could open a path forward without exposing the state to broader risks.
What Happened
The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Dale Patten (R-Watford City) and vice chaired by Rep. Dick Anderson (R-Willow City), is studying the feasibility of nuclear power in North Dakota. The committee retained Nucleon Energy as a consultant, and the firm’s chief operating officer, Will Bridge, appeared before the panel to offer guidance on the state’s regulatory framework.
Bridge identified the state’s prohibition on high-level radioactive waste storage as a direct barrier to development. Referencing the current ban, Bridge described it plainly: “That’s a stop sign.” He recommended the committee consider an exception modeled after Wyoming law, which allows temporary on-site storage of nuclear waste at plant sites — a narrower arrangement than permanent disposal.
Sen. Patten echoed the concern, saying, “We need to fix the stop sign under the disposal,” signaling he sees the current law as an impediment to even exploring nuclear development in the state.
The proposal drew measured pushback from at least one committee member. Sen. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) cautioned against amending the waste storage prohibition before North Dakotans have a fuller understanding of what that change would mean. As an alternative approach, Mathern introduced a bill draft that would appropriate $80,000 to North Dakota State University Extension to fund 12 public engagement and discussion sessions across the state on nuclear power topics.
Local Concerns Surface
The debate carries weight for some North Dakotans beyond policy circles. Mirek Petrovic, a Pierce County farmer who serves on the state’s High Level Radioactive Waste Advisory Council, farms roughly 10 miles from a site where the U.S. Department of Energy proposed exploratory drilling in 2016 to assess the area’s potential for nuclear waste storage. That proposal was not advanced, but its proximity to working agricultural land underscores why the issue remains sensitive in rural communities.
By the Numbers
- 60-year backlog: The volume of high-level radioactive waste from existing U.S. nuclear power plants that currently has no permanent disposal site.
- $80,000: The appropriation proposed by Sen. Mathern for public outreach through NDSU Extension.
- 12 sessions: The number of statewide public engagement events that would be funded under Mathern’s proposal.
- 2016: The year the Department of Energy proposed exploratory drilling in Pierce County to test for nuclear waste storage potential.
- August: The month the committee is scheduled to hold its final meeting and vote on bill drafts.
Zoom Out
North Dakota is not alone in revisiting nuclear energy policy. Across the country, states are reassessing decades-old restrictions on nuclear power as electricity demand climbs and grid reliability becomes a more pressing concern. Wyoming’s framework — which the Nucleon Energy consultant cited as a model — reflects a broader trend of states crafting limited regulatory carve-outs to attract nuclear investment without committing to permanent waste storage. The 60-year national backlog of unprocessed nuclear waste remains an unresolved federal challenge that complicates any state-level effort to expand nuclear capacity.
North Dakota voters have also shown recent engagement on questions of how state policy gets made. A wide majority of North Dakota voters backed a single-subject rule for constitutional amendments in a recent measure, reflecting a public preference for focused, transparent lawmaking — a dynamic that could shape how any nuclear-related changes are framed and presented.
What’s Next
The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee is set to discuss and vote on bill drafts at its final meeting in August. The outcome could determine whether legislation proposing an exception to the waste storage ban advances to the full legislature, and whether Mathern’s public outreach proposal moves forward alongside or independently of any regulatory changes. Senate Majority Leader David Hogue (R-Minot) is also a member of the Senate, adding weight to how leadership views the issue as it develops.