Survey Says...

As reported last month, the results of the Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee (MRMTC) Member Priorities survey are in, and they're already helping the staff zero in on the activities that are of greatest importance to the region. The survey specifically asked members about the activities they would like to see the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) undertake in 2016. A total of 15 members participated, representing nearly 80 percent of the committee. Many thanks to the committee members who responded!

The overwhelming priority for the respondents is to have DOE work with states "to reach consensus on the role states will have in planning, preparing for, and overseeing shipments of spent nuclear fuel from shutdown sites." Almost three-fourths of the respondents rated this task as a "high priority." The question of state involvement has come up largely because DOE's Nuclear Fuels Storage and Transportation (NFST) Planning Project hasn't yet put in writing its plan for involving states in the program for moving spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants, including shutdown sites.

When the Yucca Mountain repository was still being planned, the NFST Planning Project's predecessor -- the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management -- published several reports documenting its policy for engaging states, Tribes, and other stakeholders in the transportation program. One such report was the 2003 "Strategic Plan for the Safe Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste to Yucca Mountain: A Guide to Stakeholder Interactions." In that document, DOE stated that the state regional groups would "anchor" DOE's collaborative process with the states. The report went on to specify how often DOE would interact with each group, how issues would be identified and resolved, and what opportunities states would have to review documents such as transportation campaign plans and public information programs.

Despite the NFST Planning Project having been active since 2012, the project still has not committed to a specific plan for working with states. It is anticipated that this topic will figure prominently on the agenda for the next meeting of the DOE Transportation Core Group, which will take place on March 2-3 in Washington, DC.

• identify potential shipping routes from shutdown sites,
• undertake outreach activities to help inform the public, government officials, and first responders about the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and the federal waste management program,
• develop a reciprocal rail inspection procedure similar to the CVSA Level VI inspection for trucks, and
• fund state training and exercises to begin the long-term preparation for shipments.

When asked whether the Midwest should maintain its long-standing position that DOE should select rail or heavy haul -- not barge -- as the shipping mode for removing spent fuel from nuclear power plants located on the Great Lakes, ten respondents said yes, four had no opinion, and one said the committee should not maintain the position. Half of those who favored the position thought it should be extended to apply to the Mississippi River, as well, while the other half either had no opinion or didn't think the Mississippi River should be included.

The four regions will be comparing notes on their priority issues at the March meeting of the Transportation Core Group. In the meantime, staff will develop a work plan to guide the committee's activities in 2016 in a manner that lines up with the identified priorities. The committee will discuss regional priorities and progress in addressing them at its spring meeting on June 8 in Orlando, FL. Registration for the meeting will open in early March.

In other committee news, thanks to updates provided by committee members, a brand new, flipping book version of the Planning Guide for Shipments of Radioactive Material through the Midwestern States is now available online! Please take a look and email Katelyn Tye with any comments or questions.