List--
My question is, currently, how ready is Minneapolis to handle a nuclear spill of even one train car or truck? What are the facts? (Who would be affected? How would it affect ecologolocial systems of MN? What kind? Who would be incharge? Who would pay? Are our hospitals ready? etc.) We've waited for someone to come up with the solution the politicians pacified and promised 40 years ago--"Don't worry--we'll find a solution to the nuclear waste that will be generated," (Dwight Eisenhower/Nixon were presidents about then). The best we can come up with after 40 years, today's technology, and so many brilliant minds later,----is dig a hole, bury it and let's don't talk about it again?
What are the possible responsible solutions of current "environmental mayor" or potential elected officials that are commenting on your list going to be able to offer their constituents when they aren't even recognized in planning (even the McKenzie report failed to recognize the environment as a part of planning), environmental budgets and departments continually get cut, and even the governor of our state won't have any say in where these routes for nuclear waste are designated..(http://www.mapscience.org/faq_setroutes.php)
How can we then expect the City of Minneapolis, to prepare, protect, or resolve a nuclear spill/accident when the city and state are severely short on funds already and can't even get the departments of government or planning or residents to agree on the need to put the environment as the priority? Today we have so much balderdash at City Hall, we can't even pull all the parties together to act to stop something tangible like raw sewage from flowing into our MN drinking water without citizens going to court?(see recent Strib MPCA article on water)
Can the Mayor, or someone from the MPCA, Hennipen County Environmental, Minneapolis Environmental Management, and/or MN Department of Health respond to these questions and clearly map out if we are prepared for some or none and what resources it would take in order to prepare from each agency?
Amy Luesebrink
Mississippi Corridor Neighborhood Coalition
A coalition of neighborhoods along the Upper Mississippi River in Minneapolis
Brooklyn Center 55430
