This clearance will be by severance and lateral displacement of the out of service cables, with retrieval on board the ship of severed portions for ultimate disposal ashore.
In 1984, the government decided to create a long-term (100 years) storage facility for all intermediate and low-level radioactive waste and research strategies for ultimate disposal.
Current plans call for the ultimate disposal of the wastes in solid form in a licensed deep, stable geologic structure called a deep geological repository.
The grapnel drags will penetrate the seabed by 40-50 cm and materials recovered will similarly be retrieved on board ship for ultimate disposal ashore.