Nuclear Waste Futures

As of 2019 the United States does not have a permanent geological repository for spent, nucelar waste of any level. This being so, Nuclear power facilities have been storing this spent fuel on site using below ground wet pool and above ground dry cask storage methods for years. This waste stays at the facilities even after decommissioning. All of dry cask stored waste is called Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations(ISFSIs) and each new cask needs to be approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Committee.

Looking at these ISFSIs from a from a satellite perspective gives the viewer the opportunity to see the build up of these casks through a timelapse which takes place over the course of nearly thirty years. Along with the aesthetic interest that these sites have, the driving force for the piece was that all of this nuclear waste is going to remain far longer than any of the humans who created/used/stored the fuel. Framing these images and timelapses around the Seventh Generation Iriqous philosophy is important to add perspective to the practice of humans creating materials which have byproducts that will last far longer than the intended resource.

The Seventh Generation philosophy dictates that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. The fact that this nuclear waste will remain far longer than even seven generations brings a lot to questions up regarding best practices for the use of nuclear energy and its storage in the coming years.