Nuclear Waste From 36 States May Rumble Down Texas Highways if Texas Nuclear Waste Importation Plan is Approved

Texans Have Until Sunday to Speak Against Radioactive Waste Rolling Along Highways and Rails

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Standing in front of a trailer full of black waste barrels representing radioactive waste, Public Citizen and the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) Coalition today detailed a slew of problems associated with a plan to ship radioactive waste from 36 states into Texas.

"Texas radioactive waste commissioners are considering new rules that could allow Texas to become the nation's radioactive waste dumping ground. The volume of waste transported, imported and stored could go up as much as 19 times," said Tom "Smitty" Smith, director of Public Citizen's Texas office. "Our state law was designed to protect us from taking waste from many states. Texans could get stuck paying billions to clean up the mess left behind."

The event was designed to raise awareness about the dangers of hauling so much radioactive waste through Texas towns by truck and rail. While routes are not yet designated, potential routes would take waste from the Gulf Coast area on Interstate 10 through Houston and San Antonio; waste from southern states would be trucked on I-20 and I-30 though Dallas and Forth Worth; Midwestern and Northeastern waste would be driven on I-40 and I-27 though Lubbock and Amarillo; and waste from Western states would be driven though the cities of El Paso and Odessa taking I-10 and I-20, according to Dr. Marvin Resnikoff of Radioactive Waste Management Associates.  

"Truck crashes occur all the time on our highways," Smith said. "This plan would dramatically increase the amount of radioactive waste traveling through our communities. We believe that if people know what is at stake, they will contact state officials and demand that the compact commission drop the proposal."

NRC rules allow class "A" wastes to be shipped in so-called "strong tight containers," barrels that do not have to pass any integrity test. About 10 percent of these containers that have been involved in accidents have failed. Of those, 90% released their contents, according to the NRC.

Citizens can oppose the Import rule, view the full release, photos and how to comment at www.NukeFreeTexas.org.  

SOURCE Sustainable Energy & Economic Development Coalition