Two western states are top contenders to take on a role in storing nuclear waste, and, in return, receive federal support to develop new nuclear technologies. The Department of Energy named five finalists this week to host “nuclear lifecycle innovation campuses” : Idaho, Utah, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee. “The innovative concept is a direct result of President Trump’s leadership and ambitious directives to restore the domestic nuclear fuel cycle and get America’s nuclear industry growing again.” Pairing waste storage with nuclear energy could have made the opportunity more attractive to states. “I think the idea is that a nuclear waste storage facility creates very few jobs; you put the stuff there and you walk away.