"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) staff gave a positive safety evaluation of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site Thursday, but said it is still not ready for construction.

NRC staffers released the final two parts of their five-part safety review Thursday, finding that Yucca would meet safety requirements during the time it is in operation and before its permanent closure.

'The safety evaluation report includes the staff’s recommendation that the commission should not authorize construction of the repository because [Energy Department] has not met certain land and water rights requirements,' the NRC said in a statement."

Timothy Cama reports for The Hill January 29, 2015. [2]