The recent US Senate vote approving the Yucca Mtn. nuclear waste repository bodes ill for the residents of Minneapolis and the metro as a whole.
Due to the proposed routes for either trucks or trains, all shipments originating from Minnesota nuclear plants (Prairie Island and Monticello) will be routed through the twin cities. If trucks are used for shipments, there will be 1,581 truckloads of high-level waste coming through the twin cities. If trains are used, 224 trainloads would come through. By contrast, Wisconsin, which has no plants, will have a total of 3 shipments. Estimates by the Environmental Working Group show that even the most minor accident involving a small release of radioactive gas (not a full breech, fire, or other "major" accident), could cost 700 people their lives within one year due to fatal cancers. DoE maps show that a significant portion of downtown, north Minneapolis and the lakes area is within 1 mile of the proposed train routes ( http://www.mapscience.org/metroarea.php?metroname=Minneapolis_StPaul_Metro.jpg&stab=MN ). The proposed truck routes utilize I94, I35, I494 and route 62. Also within one mile of the Minnesota routes are 19 hospitals and 180 schools and a total population of 683,000 Minnesotans. The DoE acknowedges that these shipments represent a significant terrorist target. How easy would it be to derail a train or force a tracker-trailer off the road? Additionally, Yucca Mtn. will only be taking about half the waste currently stored in Minnesota, so this issue will NEVER go away as long as we continue to have active nuclear power plants in the state. To see how close you live to a proposed route, go to:http://www.mapscience.org/ Eric Oines Lind-Bohanon Minneapolis __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
