Southeast Area Citizens Advisory Committee
September 24, 2001
Dear Board of Inyo County Supervisors:
As representatives of the communities most immediately endangered by shipments of transuranic waste from the Nevada Test Site to the WIPP facility in New Mexico, we are requesting a timely and detailed response on whether the following specific arrangements have been made for the safe transport of these materials through Inyo County on State Route 127. We would like to know any specific arrangements with other agencies such as the California Dept. of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol.
The following list is based on the stipulations made by the Governor of Nevada, Kenny Guinn. Please note that these shipments will only travel about 40-50 miles of Nevada’s roads. The 127 route through Inyo County and south to Baker is double that, on significantly smaller rural roads with no alternate routes, with much longer response times in case of accident or emergency.
All shipments should be subject to a complete mechanical and radiological inspection at the border between Nevada and California. Comparison of documentation data should take place between the Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) and California Highway Patrol (CHP) escorts prior to border crossing and handoff.
The California Highway Patrol should provide security escorts to all shipments through Inyo County and San Bernardino County, until the shipments enter Arizona. No shipments should enter Inyo County, CA, until the CHP escort is ready, and has completed verification protocols with the NHP escort.
Inyo County should be working with San Bernardino County, California state agencies, Nevada state agencies, and all relevant Emergency Response providers to develop a WIPP emergency response plan, clearly describing the procedures that would be used to coordinate the response to any incident or accident involving the WIPP shipments.
Prior to any implementation of shipments, a complete training plan with practice exercises and proper, regularly calibrated radiological equipment must be provided for all CHP and emergency response providers. Adequate funding for equipment acquisition, maintenance and training must be secured for the Death Valley Fire District prior to any shipments taking place. All costs should be born by the Dept. of Energy.
We understand that the only scheduled practice exercise for WIPP shipments was canceled. All participants in the "table-top" training exercise at Longstreet Casino in June, both County Deputies and Emergency Response personnel, have stated that it was poorly organized and ineffective. We would like to be notified of any further training s that are scheduled.
An emergency rerouting and road signage plan should be well thought out and ready to implement quickly, in the event of an accident or incident on Route 127, so that local residents, school buses, other trucks and toxic shipments and tourists can be assured of safe access to their destinations. On most of route 127, it is impossible for even moderate-sized vehicles to turn around. In the event of an accident, signs would have to be put in place immediately, many miles away, to prevent other vehicles from being trapped in the proximity of the danger.
The CHP must take steps necessary to obtain from the Dept. of Energy the computer and communications hardware and software needed to permit real time tracking of these shipments while they are in California. This TRANSCOM system must be installed in the appropriate CHP operations center, and CHP personnel and alternates must be trained in its operation.
Inyo County should consult with the California Department of Transportation to establish information on highway conditions along the DOE-designated route in California that might have safety or risk implications. Together, with input from local community members, they should designate appropriate safe parking areas in the event a shipment has to be diverted or held during transit in California. It should be made clear to all drivers, CHP, and County Sheriff Deputies that at no time is it permissible for WIPP or other nuclear waste or toxic waste trucks to stop within populated Inyo County communities.
As you can imagine, we are deeply concerned about the safety of our communities, schools, and tourism economy. We look forward to your response to our concerns.
Sincerely,
Jann Rucquoi, Committee Chair
cc:
Senator Boxer
Senator Feinstein
Representative Jerry Lewis
Governor Gray Davis
California Highway Patrol
CA Dept. of Transportation
Southern Inyo Fire District