States, energy secretary agree to safe nuclear waste transport

Monday, June 15, 2009 | 6:33 p.m.

The Western Governors' Association and Energy Secretary Steven Chu agreed today to enhance safe and secure transportation of nuclear waste to a repository in New Mexico.

The agreement was signed during the Western Governors' Association's annual meeting by Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana and C.L. "Butch" Otter of Idaho, along with Chu.

It expands a 10-year-old agreement that has existed through the two previous administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, said Alex Schroeder, spokesman for the association.

The waste is mostly equipment, clothing and materials containing trace amounts of plutonium or other radioactive particles that can be traced back to Cold War nuclear weapons work in the West.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Project near Carlsbad, N.M., was opened by the federal government to keep such radioactive items away from the public and the environment.

"The transportation of all types of nuclear waste through western states must be done safely and without disruption," Schweitzer said. "Such shipments are a concern to residents in corridor states, and it's important to not only maintain, but also expand upon the success we've had with more than 7,400 shipments to the WIPP site over the past 10 years."

Nevada has sent 48 shipments to WIPP from the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, said Joe Strolin of the Agency for Nuclear Projects, an office that oversees federal nuclear activity in the state.

"It (the agreement) does affect the state because of the Test Site," Strolin said. "The DOE (Department of Energy) deserves credit. It has worked very diligently with the states to ensure the agreement works."

Under the agreement the Energy Department gives states advanced notice of radioactive shipments, trains emergency response crews along designated routes for the radioactive shipments, certifies drivers and imposes special inspections on the cargo, Strolin said.

Chu said federal and state cooperation is essential for success in all nuclear waste transportation campaigns.

"We are committed to working with the western states on the safe transportation of radioactive waste," Chu said.

Discussion: 1 comment so far…

By MartinBensky

6/16/09 at 12:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

Will this agreement change anything? The record for transport of nuclear materials since the dawn of the nuclear age has been excellent, far better than the record for transporting other hazardous materials. What's to agree about?