(Reuters) – The Biden administration on Tuesday said it was seeking local communities willing to host nuclear waste storage sites, arguing they are needed to deal with the nation’s existing waste and encourage growth in virtually emissions-free nuclear power to fight climate change.

Although the U.S. tried to establish a large-scale nuke waste disposal facility in Yucca Mountain, Nevada for years to contain waste from reactors sites, safety concerns led to it being rejected.

“Nuclear energy is essential to achieving the Administration’s goals to create a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by 2050,” the Department of Energy said in a press release announcing the effort.

“Managing waste not only makes nuclear a more sustainable option but also helps fulfill DOE’s obligation to manage the nation’s spent nuclear fuel,” it said.

The DOE said it was issuing a “request for information on a consent-based siting process” that would be used to identify sites.

Kathryn Huff, the Department of Energy’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, said hosting such sites could bring communities jobs and new infrastructure and that she expected “thousands of responses” to the request for information.

“DOE is committed to responsibly managing the nation’s spent nuclear fuel and willing communities have the right to explore the benefits and conditions they need to host a federal interim storage facility,” she said. 

She added, “We believe that consent-based approaches are the best thing to do and have the greatest chance of success.”

According to the DOE. The United States has amassed approximately 83,000 tonnes radioactive nuclear waste in the 50s. This is stored in concrete and steel containers at 76 reactor locations in 34 States.