| Lander County Nevada Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Oversight Program |
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| Lander County maintains this website to inform citizens about issues related to the proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. | ||||||
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Quick facts at a glance about the Yucca Mountain RepositoryLocation: Yucca Mountain is located on federal land in a remote area of Nye
County in southern Nevada, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas,
Nevada. Land withdrawal area The proposed Yucca Mountain repository withdrawal area would occupy about 230 square miles (150,000 acres) of federal land that is currently under the control of the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force, and the Bureau of Land Management. Population: No one lives at Yucca Mountain. The closest year-round housing is about 14 miles south of the site, in the Amargosa Desert. Geology: Yucca Mountain is a ridge comprised of layers of volcanic rock, called “tuff.” This rock is made of ash that was deposited by successive eruptions from nearby volcanoes, between 11 and 14 million years ago. These volcanoes have been extinct for millions of years. Elevation: At its crest, Yucca mountain reaches an elevation of 4,950 feet. Climate: View current weather conditions Yucca Mountain receives less than 7.5 inches of precipitation on average per year. The mean annual temperature is about 63° Fahrenheit. Natural Resources: There are no known natural resources of commercial value at Yucca Mountain (such as precious metals, minerals, oil, etc.). |
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