by Roy C. Hengerson, Legislative Chairman
After years of contention, a showdown on what to do with the mounting accumulation of high-level nuclear waste is coming up in the U. S. Senate.
High-level radioactive waste has been accumulating at 77 sites around the United States where commercial nuclear power plants operate. In addition, high-level waste is stored at nuclear production defense facilities. Now the federal government wants to ship all this extremely toxic and dangerous material across the country on trucks, railroads, and barges through 43 states, including Missouri, to a proposed nuclear waste disposal site at Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada. However, this site has severe flaws as a long term storage facility.
Nevada residents from all political persuasions are united in their opposition to this proposal. However, Missouri residents also need to understand how it will affect their health and safety. Shipping high-level nuclear waste around the country, given the risks identified, and in light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, should send up warning flags.
Since most of the nuclear power plants are east of the Mississippi River, and since a number of major Interstate highways and railroad lines run through Missouri, including through St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and Columbia, we could be on the frontlines of catastrophe if an accident or terrorist attack should strike one of the nuclear waste shipments. According to the Department of Energy’s plan, waste shipments would occur on a regular basis for approximately 30 years, with up to 100,000 shipments envisioned. Thus citizens along major transportation routes could expect several shipments per day for three decades going through their communities.
There are major problems with storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. The site is in an area of seismic activity, which has been affected by earthquakes. The dump could impact an aquifer used for drinking water. Fast-growing Las Vegas, Nevada, is not far from the site, and growing closer each year. And the lead agency, the Department of Energy, has a history of environmental management problems.
The February 14, 2002, decision of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to recommend to President Bush to proceed with a nuclear waste repository, and Bush’s declaration the very next day to approve this recommendation, began a countdown to decision-time for this controversial project. The next step was a window of opportunity for the host state to veto the project. As expected, the state of Nevada quickly vetoed the recommendation to site the waste dump at Yucca Mountain. Now, Congress has limited time, according to the law they passed in 1987, to override that veto.
The House of Representatives has already voted to override on May 8, although 117 members courageously voted against the heavy lobbying of the nuclear industry and for protecting the health and safety of their constituents. Only Richard Gephardt (D-3) and Karen McCarthy (D-5), of the nine Missouri House members, voted against the veto override.
The Senate will now take up the matter, with deciding votes expected in early to mid July. The Sierra Club is working with a broad spectrum of groups and individuals to slow the Yucca Mountain project so that a better solution can be found.
We want the U. S. Senate to reject the resolution to override Nevada’s objection to the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump. I urge you to contact your two Senators and ask them to vote against Senate Joint Resolution 34, which would override Nevada’s veto of Yucca Mountain. You can call them at the following phone numbers or write them at:
The Honorable ___________, U. S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510.
Senator Christopher Bond: (314) 725-4484 or (202) 224-3121.
Senator Jean Carnahan: (314) 436-3416 or (202) 224-3121.
For more information contact: Roy Hengerson, 2201 Weathered Rock Road, Jefferson City, MO 65101, (573) 635-8066, roy.hengerson@sierraclub.org