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Don’t Gamble on Nuke Waste!
Made in New York, U-233 may be coming from
Oak Ridge to the Test Site for burial.

Some alarming articles in the Las Vegas Review-Journal need to set off more bells than they are. The Dept. of Energy wants to truck extremely dangerous nuclear waste to disposal Area 5 at the NNSS all the way from Oak Ridge, Tennessee starting in the next few months. A series of three articles in the Las Vegas Review-Journal by writer Steven Tetreault started on April 10. One article was about the material. The next two were about how local stakeholders are not concerned about it enough to oppose the 403 shipments except maybe Rep. Dina Titus.

The waste was made in a New York reactor in the 1960s and has been turned into a solid, which makes it less volatile. But the building it has been in was condemned, and rather than try to store it more safely there, the plan is to bury it with other, less radioactive waste in Nevada.

Presentations to the Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board in Jan and Feb, 2012 termed the shipments “not hazardous” for the purpose of shipping and handling even though a “waste profile still needs to be developed, submitted and approved.” They call it low-level waste (LLW) only because it doesn’t fit in other waste classifications; it is very toxic, dangerous, and highly radioactive, hence all the precautions. The agencies that want the waste moved have gone through their processes and deemed their care sufficient. Did anyone ask the Western Shoshone what they think about this plan?

Dina Titus asked, “We’re trying to develop other kinds of economic projects out there. If we are putting more nuclear waste out there that’s still low-level but higher than what’s out there now, will that have a negative impact on the possibility of using it for other economic development?” This concern is important, since one of the reasons Oak Ridge doesn't want it anymore is that they are diversifying activities there.

Contact Dina Titus' office (especially if you are in her district) and ask her to work with us to stop more nuclear waste from coming to Nevada. 

With your help, NDE will do what we can to keep this beautiful land from being further desecrated. 

Here are two links to briefings that were given to the Nevada Site-Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB) regarding U-233 shipments they want to make from Oak Ridge, Tennessee for burial in Area 5 at the NNSS. The presentations were over a year ago:  January 18, 2012 Handouts and February 15, 2012 Handouts. The presentations were extensive and detailed and conclude that this material can be brought to Nevada and buried here safely.

Links to all CEUSP/U-233 waste related Las Vegas Review-Journal articles (may time-expire):

April 9 : Concerns raised over plans to bury bomb-usable nuclear material in Nevada
April 12 : Titus concerned about plans to bury nuclear waste at test site
April 16
: Most of delegation displays little concern on nuke waste
May 28: High security to accompany uranium waste to Nevada
June 14: Environmental, anti-nuclear groups urge Sandoval to turn away uranium waste
July 9: Titus puts squeeze on DOE chief over nuclear waste
July 10: Titus queries DOE about nuclear waste regulation changes
July 16: Sandoval, DOE chief to meet over nuclear waste plans
June 20: Sandoval opposes burial of nuclear waste at Nevada National Security Site
July 18: Sandoval, DOE fail to reach agreement on waste shipments
July 30: Nevada nuclear waste challenge: DOE officials thought they had a deal
August 8: Heller asks DOE chief to clear up discrepancies over nuclear waste
August 13: DOE chief: Agency agreed to bury nuclear waste 'deeper' in Nevada
October 10: Nevada, DOE meet over security site operations
October 30: DOE to hear from Nevadans on nuclear waste burial plan
November 12: DOE: Nuclear waste move to Nevada to start in 2014
November 13: Reid ready to fight attempts to deliver waste
November 14: Nye County residents vocal on burying nuclear waste in Nevada



KNPR State of Nevada: Too Hot To Handle: Weapons Grade Nuclear Waste in a Nevada Landfill?

 

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