Waste Transportation

The transportation of radioactive waste already occurs, but will become frequent on our rails, roads and waterways, should irradiated reactor fuel be moved to interim or permanent dump sites.

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Wednesday
Jul292020

What if high-level radioactive waste had been aboard?! -- Arizona train derailment and fire described as 'a scene from hell'

Arizona train derailment and fire described as 'a scene from hell'

as reported by CNN.

Depending on the temperature and duration of a fire, high-level radioactive waste shipping containers could be breached. The design criteria for such containers is for a 1,475 degree Fahrenheit fire, burning for only 30 minutes. Many real world fires burn hotter, and longer, than that. A breach of a container, and the release of even a small fraction of the volatile contents of a cask (such as Cesium-137), would cause a disastrous or even catastrophic release of hazardous radioactivity into the environment.

And if a train bridge collapses above water, the underwater submersion of a high-level radioactive waste shipping container could cause a breach, depending on the depth of the water, and the duration of the submersion. As a Public Citizen backgrounder documents, design criteria for shipping containers only account for a 3 foot submersion, for a damaged container; the design criteria for undamaged casks is for a depth of 656 feet, for one hour. But many bodies of surface water are deeper than 3 feet. And the containers weighing as much as 180 tons, or more, these days, it would require a special crane to lift them -- something that would take much longer than an hour to bring in, set up, and activate. A breach and release could cause catastrophic hazardous radioactive contamination of drinkinging water supplies, fisheries, etc.

In addition, infiltrating water could spark an inadvertent nuclear chain reaction, if a critical mass of fissile material (U-235, Pu-239) forms inside the irradiated nuclear fuel container. This would potentially make emergency response a suicide mission, given the fatal doses of gamma and neutron radiation emitted by a chain reaction. But doing nothing could mean catastrophic releases of hazardous radioactivity into the surface water. See this backgrounder, for more information about such risks.

Wednesday
Jun172020

REMINDER OF PUBLIC MEETING WEBINAR TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF A SECOND WEBINAR

Holtec's sole route map for high-level radioactive waste shipments in its License Application. It accounts for only four of 131 atomic reactors in the country (one at Maine Yankee, and three at San Onofre, CA.) NRC's DEIS did not include even a single such route map.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct TWO public meetings via webinar soliciting comments on a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Holtec International’s (Holtec) proposed Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel in Lea County, New Mexico.  The draft EIS evaluates potential environmental impacts of Holtec’s request to build and operate the proposed CISF. 

The public meeting webinars will be accessible to the public by navigating, on the day and time of the meeting, to the internet link below and entering the event number associated with the date of the webinar when prompted.  Telephone access is also provided by dialing the telephone number and entering the passcode provided below.  The NRC staff will present the results of the draft environmental impact analysis and receive the public’s comments on the draft report.  The NRC invites members of the public to attend the public meeting webinar and to present oral comments on the draft EIS.  Both public meeting webinars will commence at 3:00 pm Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), the first on June 23, 2020, and the second on July 9, 2020.

WEBINAR 1 - Tuesday, June 23, 2020 – 3:00 pm MDT (5:00 pm EDT)

Webinar Internet address: https://usnrc.webex.com/


Event Number:  199 800 0026

Password:  HOLTEC

 

Telephone access:

Telephone number:  888-454-7496

Telephone passcode: 5790355

 

WEBINAR 2 - Thursday, July 9, 2020 – 3:00 pm MDT (5:00 pm EDT)

Webinar Internet address:  https://usnrc.webex.com/


Event Number:  199 943 8370

Password: HOLTEC

 

Telephone access:     

Telephone number:  800-475-0220   

Telephone passcode: 9575497

 

Those wishing to present oral comments are asked to pre-register by June 22, 2020 for the webinar on June 23, 2020; and by July 8, 2020 for the webinar on July 9, 2020, by contacting Ms. Antoinette Walker-Smith via e-mail at:  Antoinette.Walker-Smith@nrc.gov.  The public may also submit written comments on the draft EIS before July 22, 2020.  A notice published in the Federal Register (FR) on April 27, 2020 (85 FR 23382; https://www.federalregister.gov/), announced the availability of the NRC’s draft EIS and provided instructions for submitting written comments.

The draft EIS can be found on the NRC public webpage for the Holtec CISF license application at https://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/cis/holtec-international.html.  If you do not have internet access, contact the NRC Public Document Room at 800-397-4209 for assistance.

[See a larger, more legible version of the shipment route map, above left, at the link here.]

[See the State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects' NUCLEAR WASTE TRANSPORTATION comprehensive subject matter repository, here, re: routing, risks, and more.]

Tuesday
Apr212020

Speak out against Mobile Chernobyls in your community! Sample script for contacting your Members of Congress to urge they demand public comment meetings in your state/district re: NRC Draft EIS on Holtec's nuke waste Consolidated Interim Storage Facility

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Please help us secure more public comment meetings, by urging both your U.S. Senators, and your U.S. Representative, to demand one from NRC in your state/congressional district, once safe to do so. At the same time, urge your Congress Members to demand NRC keep the public comment period open indefinitely, and to only start the 199-day public countdown clock once the pandemic emergency is over, and in-person public comment meetings are once again safe to hold.

You can call your U.S. Congress Members' D.C. offices via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. You can also email, webform, fax, and/or snail mail your request to your Congress Members' D.C. and/or in-state/district offices (see links below). Here is a sample script you can use as is, or feel free to edit it:

"Dear Senator/Representative X, please contact NRC [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission] and demand that a Holtec CISF DEIS [Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Draft Environmental Impact Statement] public comment meeting be held in our state/district, once safe to do so. Also demand that the public comment period be kept open indefinitely, and that a 199-day public comment period countdown clock commence only after it is safe to once again hold in-person public comment meetings. Given the high risks of high-level radioactive waste trains, trucks, and barges, and the fact that Holtec's CISF would ship and store 2.5 times the High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLRW) volume as the Yucca Mountain dump scheme in Nevada, targeted at Western Shoshone land (173,600 metric tons, versus 70,000 MT), it is only proper that NRC hold an equal number of meetings along transport routes, and an equally long comment period, as did DOE [U.S. Department of Energy] on Yucca 20 years ago. As it stands, NRC's still too short 120-day comment period ends on July 21st, and only five meetings would be held, all in the unwilling 'host state' of New Mexico. Given the accident and attack risks of Mobile Chernobyls, Dirty Bombs on Wheels, and Floating Fukushimas, and even the 'incident-free' Mobile X-ray Machines That Can't Be Turned Off risks of 'routine' shipments, adequate time, and numbers of meetings across the U.S., for public comment, are vitally needed."


Please spread the word! Working together, we can win the two-dozen public comment meetings in a dozen states outside NM that we are due, based on the hard-won DOE/Yucca precedent set 20 years ago! Congressional demands, per above, will make all the difference!

Sincerely,
Kevin Kamps
Radioactive Waste Specialist, Beyond Nuclear
Board of Directors member, Don't Waste Michigan (Kalamazoo chapter)
Advisory board member, Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination


ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Last month, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) opened its public comment period on the Holtec International/Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance (Holtec/ELEA) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The Holtec/ELEA consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for commercial irradiated nuclear fuel and other highly radioactive waste (such as Greater-Than-Class-C "low-level" radioactive waste), if constructed and operated, would "temporarily store" (for 40 years, 120 years, 300 years, or perhaps even de facto permanently) up to 173,600 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW). But this of course would entail shipping such wastes, from the nuclear power plant sites where they are currently located, across most states in the Lower 48, to southeastern New Mexico. (90% of reactors and HLRW are in the eastern half of the U.S. 75% are east of the Mississippi River.)
On March 20, 2020, NM's U.S. congressional delegation made similar demands of NRC, within the unwilling "host" state itself. We are fortunate that NM's delegation is so strong and active on this critical fight. Their traction shows that congressional demands are taken seriously by NRC, even when the agency attempts to ignore citizens' concerns.
On April 21st, NRC announced a 60-day extension to its previously announced, arbitrarily short (merely 60-day) deadline for public comments. Thus, the previous May 22nd deadline has been extended till July 21st. Thus, despite the pandemic emergency, NRC's countdown clock for public comments continues to tick away. We must take action now.
And despite the nationwide high-level radioactive waste transport risks (Mobile Chernobyls on the rails and roads, Dirty Bombs on Wheels in terms of security risks, Floating Fukushimas in terms of barge shipments on waterways, and even Mobile X-ray Machines That Can't Be Turned Off risks of "routine," hazardous gamma- and neutron-radiation emissions, even during "incident-free" shipments), NRC has planned only five public comment meetings, exclusively in New Mexico (these planned meetings are currently postponed due to the pandemic). What about the 44 other states (or more) that would see NM-bound HLRW shipments roll through by truck, train, or barge? Why doesn't NRC plan to hold meetings along transport routes?
It appears that NRC has bowed to pressure from CISF proponent and partner John Heaton of Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance. Heaton was even quoted in the NM press calling for the unwilling "host" state in-person public comment meetings to be replaced by mere webinars; but the NM US congressional delegation will not back down from its demand for in-person public comment meetings, once safe to do so. NRC dare not deny that demand.
But NRC, in its April 21st letter, has added but a single webinar public comment opportunity, for the rest of the country outside NM along the high-risk transport routes! NRC currently plans zero in-person public comment meetings, in 44 or more states, thus impacted!
What states, cities, and U.S. congressional districts, you ask? NRC, in its Holtec DEIS, has cited a 2008 DOE Final Supplemental EIS re: Yucca transport routes. The State of NV Agency for Nuclear Projects' has carefully -- and helpfully! -- analyzed that very document. See its road and rail route maps, and shipment numbers, here:
For its part, NRC has not provided a single route map in its DEIS! And for its part, Holtec provided a sole route map in its license application Environmental Report. But Holtec's route map accounts for only four (one in Maine; three in southern California) of the 119 atomic reactors in the U.S.! NRC is being even more secretive than Holtec, in the attempt to keep the impacted public in the dark across the country!
As if road and rail routes weren't enough to worry about already, check out potential barge routes on surface waters from coast to coast!
Two decades ago, during the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Yucca Mountain, Nevada HLRW dump DEIS (targeted at Western Shoshone land), over the course of a hard-won 199-day public comment period, DOE ultimately held two-dozen public comment meetings, including in a dozen states outside of NV.
On March 25, 2020, 50 anti-nuclear, environmental, EJ, social justice, and public interest groups also wrote NRC, urging that this Holtec DEIS have the equivalent 199-day public comment period, and have an equal number of public comment meetings, including along transport routes outside of NM, as Yucca did 20 years ago, including outside of NV. Currently, even NRC's now-extended 120-day public comment period, ending July 21st, falls far short of the requested duration. The 50-group coalition also called for the public comment proceeding to be kept open throughout the pandemic, for all the called-for, in-person public comment meetings to still take place once safe to do so, and for the 199-day public comment deadline clock to not commence until the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announces an end to the national pandemic emergency.
Instead, NRC plans to let the clock run during, and despite, the deadly pandemic.
Our coalition's requests are very reasonable. After all, Holtec's CISF represents 2.5 times more HLRW than the Yucca scheme (173,600 metric tons, versus 70,000 MT).
Given that, please help us secure more public comment meetings, by urging both your U.S. Senators, and your U.S. Representative, to demand one from NRC in your state/congressional district, once safe to do so. At the same time, urge your Congress Members to demand NRC keep the public comment period open indefinitely, and to only start the 199-day public countdown clock once the pandemic emergency is over, and in-person public comment meetings are once again safe to hold.
You can call your U.S. Congress Members' D.C. offices via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. You can also email, webform, fax, and/or snail mail your request to your Congress Members' D.C. and/or in-state/district offices. Here is a sample script you can use as is, or feel free to edit it:

"Dear Senator/Representative X, please contact NRC and demand that a Holtec CISF DEIS public comment meeting be held in our state/district, once safe to do so. Also demand that the public comment period be kept open indefinitely, and that a 199-day public comment period countdown clock commence only after it is safe to once again hold in-person public comment meetings. Given the high risks of high-level radioactive waste trains, trucks, and barges, and the fact that Holtec's CISF would ship and store 2.5 times the HLRW volume as the Yucca Mountain dump scheme in Nevada, targeted at Western Shoshone land (173,600 metric tons, versus 70,000 MT), it is only proper that NRC hold an equal number of meetings along transport routes, and an equally long comment period, as did DOE on Yucca 20 years ago. As it stands, NRC's still too short 120-day comment period ends on July 21st, and only five meetings would be held, all in the unwilling 'host state' of New Mexico. Given the accident and attack risks of Mobile Chernobyls, Dirty Bombs on Wheels, and Floating Fukushimas, and even the 'incident-free' Mobile X-ray Machines That Can't Be Turned Off risks of 'routine' shipments, adequate time and numbers of meetings for public comment are vitally needed."


Please spread the word! Working together, we can win the two-dozen public comment meetings in a dozen states outside NM that we are due, based on the hard-won DOE/Yucca precedent set 20 years ago!

Wednesday
Mar112020

How should we store irradiated nuclear fuel?

As reported by WORT, 89.9 FM Community Radio in Madison, WI. The program "8 O'clock Buzz" hosted Beyond Nuclear's radioactive waste specialist, Kevin Kamps:

Controversy continues over centralized storage of “spent” nuclear fuel or hardened on-site storage. Kevin Kamps from “Beyond Nuclear” talks about the potential issues related to transportation of these materials on our highways, rails, and water to centralized “interim” storage facilities.

Friday
Jan312020

U.S. congressional high-level radioactive waste legislation -- bills that Beyond Nuclear opposes, and supports

Beyond Nuclear opposes these bills:

H.R. 2699, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019 [Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (Democrat from CA-9), U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (Republican from IL-15), et al.]

[See analyses of and commentary on H.R. 2699, by Robert Halstead, director, State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, from June 2019:

---U.S. House Subcommittee hearing testimony;

---Analysis of and commentary on H.R. 2699];

See this November 20, 2019 post re: passage of H.R. 2699 by the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, by voice vote. 

See this September 26, 2019 post re: passage of H.R. 2699 by the U.S. House Environment and Climate Subcommittee by voice vote. 

Here is the link to the Subcommittee's own website post re: voice vote passage of H.R. 2699 during mark up, one of 15 bills. Here are the opening remarks by Committee Chairman Pallone (D-NJ) at the subcommittee mark up.

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S. 2917, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019 [Sponsored by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), and U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND); identical to H.R. 2699].

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H.R. 2995, the Spent Fuel Prioritization Act of 2019 [Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (Democrat from CA-49), et al.].

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H.R. 3136, the Storage and Transportation of Residual and Excess Nuclear Fuel Act of 2019 (a.k.a. the STORE Nuclear Fuel Act) [Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (Democrat from CA-6), et al.].

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See the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing from 6/13/19, re: all three House bills mentioned above (H.R. 2699, H.R. 2995, H.R. 3136), at this link. There you will find the video of the hearing, as well as links to witness introductory remarks and full written testimonies.

See a Beyond Nuclear letter for the record submitted to the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee for the hearing on 6/13/19, expressing opposition to all three bills.

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S. 1234, the Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2019 [Sponsored by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Republican from AK), U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (Republican from TN), and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Democrat from CA)].

See the video of the 6/27/19 Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee hearing on this bill, with links to witness introductions and full written testimonies, at this link.

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Beyond Nuclear also opposes funding for the Yucca Mountain, Nevada dump-site, as well as for the New Mexico and Texas consolidated interim storage facilities, in both congressional budget as well as appropriations bills. The Trump administration roll out for Fiscal Year 2021 budget figures is scheduled for February 10, 2020.

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Beyond Nuclear supports these bills*:

H.R. 1544, the Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act/ S. 649, the Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act.

[In the U.S. House, sponsored by Dina Titus, Steven Horsford, and Susie Lee, Democrats from Nevada. In the U.S. Senate, sponsored by U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, Democrats from Nevada, and co-sponsored by U.S. Sens.: Cory Booker (Democrat from NJ); Kamala Harris (Democrat from CA); Amy Klobuchar (Democrat from MN); Bernie Sanders (Independent from VT); Elizabeth Warren (Democrat from MA); and Kirsten Gillibrand (Democrat from NY)]

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S. 1985, the STRANDED Act of 2019 (a.k.a. the Sensible, Timely Relief for America's Nuclear Districts' Economic Development Act of 2019). [Sponsored by Tammy Duckworth, Democrat from IL, et al.]

H.R. 5608, the STRANDED Act of 2019 [Sponsored by Bradley Scott Schneider, Democrat from IL, et al.; identical to S. 1985, immediately above]

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H.Res. 805, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin [Sponsored by Dan Kildee, Democrat from MI, John Moolenar, Republican from MI, et al.; identical to S. Res. 470, immediately below]

S.Res. 470, A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lake Basin [Sponsored by Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, Democrats from MI, et al.; identical to H.Res. 805, immediately above]

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*Please note, Beyond Nuclear's support for these bills would include their passage as stand-alone bills, or as part of broader environmental-, health-, and safety-protection legislation. However, their inclusion as sweeteners in dangerously bad bills, like those listed above that Beyond Nuclear opposes, is unacceptable.

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