Clark County
Board of County Commissioners

RESOLUTION
OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) TO AVOID PLACING AN INTERMODAL (TRAIN TO TRUCK) TRANSFER FACILITY IN CLARK COUNTY, AND TO AVOID THE USE OF HIGHWAY ROUTES OVER HOOVER DAM AND HIGHWAY AND RAIL ROUTED IN AND THROUGH THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY FOR THE TRANSPORT OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE TO THE NEVADA TEST SITE.

WHEREAS, the Nevada Test Site is currently used by the DOE as a site for the final disposal of low level radioactive waste, and is being considered as a Regional or Centralized site for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste, and possibly also mixed hazardous/low level radioactive waste (collectively the radioactive waste) from the cleanup of the DOE Weapons Complex; and

WHEREAS, the naming of the Nevada Test Site as a Regional or Centralized disposal site for the radioactive waste could greatly increase the number of shipments of such waste into Southern Nevada; and

WHEREAS, the DOE is proposing to transport much of the waste by rail, and, since there is no rail access to the Nevada Test Site, a facility will be required to transfer the waste from train to truck (an intermodal transfer facility); and

WHEREAS, five potential intermodal transfer facility sites were investigated by DOE, two of which, Valley and Apex, were located in Clark County; and

WHEREAS, the DOE, as a result of this investigation, is currently preparing an Environmental Assessment which is evaluating sites outside Clark County for the transfer of the radioactive waste from rail to truck for shipment to the Nevada Test Site; and

WHEREAS, according to this determination, the Department of Energy is proposing to institutionalize and encourage the use of an intermodal transfer facility and highway routes outside the Las Vegas Valley for the transport of the radioactive waste to the Nevada Test Site; and

WHEREAS, the Environmental Assessment, however, will not result in a decision by the Department of Energy to require all shipments of such radioactive waste destined for the Nevada Test Site to avoid Hover Dam and the Las Vegas Valley; and

WHEREAS, State and local officials in Nevada contend that the continued transportation of these wastes over Hoover Dam and through the rapidly increasing population in the Las Vegas Valley provides a greater opportunity for accidents which not only pose risks to the public health and safety of our citizens, but could adversely affect the State's tourist based economy; and

WHEREAS, the recent radioactive waste incident in Kingman, Arizona and one of several years ago in Missouri, both involving radioactive wastes destined for final disposal at the NTS illustrate the potential for accidents that could result in the release of radioactive waste, a problem that could be exacerbated if an accident occurred on Hoover Dam, or in the Las Vegas Valley.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Clark County Board of Commissioners urges DOE to select an intermodal transfer facility site that is not located in Clark County

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Clark County encourages DOE to specify rail and highway routes for the transport of radioactive and mixed radioactive and hazardous waste that avoid Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Valley

APPROVED on this TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF APRIL, 1998

YVONNE ATKINSON-GATES, CHAIR
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

ATTEST:
LORETTA BOWMAN, CLERK