Bill to prohibit downblending passes Environment Committee 5-4

NASHVILLE – A Senate committee Tuesday passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Andy Berke (D-Chattanooga) to stop 20,000 tons of foreign nuclear waste from potentially being stranded in Tennessee by prohibiting nuclear waste “downblending.”

“We’re one step closer to ensuring that Tennessee doesn’t become the world’s nuclear dumping ground,” Berke said. “I applaud the members of the Senate Environment Committee who placed the safety of Tennessee families ahead of the financial interests of one Utah-based nuclear waste company.”

The Senate Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee passed the bill 5-4 on Tuesday, meaning the bill likely will move soon to the Senate floor. The House version is in subcommittee.

Under the bill (SB2735/HB2826), Tennessee would prohibit nuclear waste downblending, which involves mixing highly toxic and radioactive “Class B and C” waste with less harmful “Class A” waste in an attempt to classify the waste as Class A.

A Utah-based nuclear waste company is applying to downblend nuclear waste at its Oak Ridge facility. At the same time, the company wants to import 20,000 tons of Italian radioactive waste into its Oak Ridge facility.

No state in the country allows downblending. If the Italian radioactive waste is downblended in Oak Ridge, no disposal site in the United States will accept the waste – meaning it could be stuck in Tennessee for good.

Downblending is not supported by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Tennessee already prohibits similar processes in its clean water and hazardous waste programs. Research has shown that blended waste would have a radiation dose 465 times greater than federal regulations for Class A waste.

“Tennesseans deserve lawmakers who will fight to protect their families from dangerous nuclear waste,” Berke said. “I’m not going to sit back and let Tennessee become the world’s nuclear dumpster.”

by TN Press Release Center on March 18, 2010

Bill Would Prohibit Nuclear Waste Downblending

NASHVILLE – State Sen. Andy Berke (D-Chattanooga) and Rep. Ty Cobb (D-Columbia) want to stop 20,000 tons of foreign nuclear waste from potentially being stranded in Tennessee by filing a bill designed to prohibit nuclear waste “downblending.”

“The ramifications of allowing downblended nuclear waste into Tennessee will be disastrous for generations. The highly radioactive waste will endanger our families, our communities and our environment,” Berke said. “I’m not going to let Tennessee become the world’s dumpster.”

Under the bill (SB2735/HB2826), Tennessee would prohibit nuclear waste downblending, which involves diluting highly toxic and radioactive “Class B and C” waste with less harmful “Class A” waste in an attempt to classify the waste as Class A.

A Utah-based nuclear waste company is applying to downblend nuclear waste at its Oak Ridge facility. At the same time, the company wants to import 20,000 tons of Italian radioactive waste into its Oak Ridge facility.

No state in the country allows downblending. If the Italian radioactive waste is downblended in Oak Ridge, no disposal site in the United States will accept the waste – meaning it could be stuck in Tennessee for good.

“This is just another example of a huge corporation looking out for its own interests at the expense of our families’ health and well-being,” Cobb said. “Lawmakers have a responsibility to stand up and put Tennesseans first in this issue. As a leader for this state, I will not allow Tennessee to become a dumping ground for hazardous nuclear waste.”

Downblending is not supported by the national Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Tennessee already prohibits similar processes in its clean water and hazardous waste programs. Research has shown that blended waste would have a radiation dose 465 times greater than federal regulations for Class A waste.

Berke and Cobb’s efforts are similar to those by Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, who are sponsoring the Radioactive Import Deterrent Act in Congress to prohibit the import of foreign-generated radioactive waste anywhere in the United States.

“Rep. Cobb and I support Senator Alexander and Congressman Gordon’s efforts in Washington,” Berke said. “I hope we can work together in Nashville to achieve the same purpose – the protection of our citizens and our environment.”

December 2, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved Congressman Bart Gordon’s bipartisan legislation to ban the importation of foreign radioactive waste. Gordon’s bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence (RID) Act, H.R. 515, would prevent foreign-generated radioactive waste from being processed in Tennessee and disposed in the U.S.

“The United States stands alone as the only country in the world that imports other countries’ radioactive waste for permanent disposal,” Gordon said as he explained his bill on the House floor. “The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently considering the importation of 20,000 tons of Italian waste. Other countries are reading the signs that the U.S. is poised to become a nuclear dumping ground, permit applications are also pending for the importation of Brazilian and Mexican waste.”

The Italian waste importation would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste. If the permits for the Italian, Brazilian, and Mexican waste importations are approved, the nuclear waste shipments would be sent to Tennessee for processing and later disposed in Utah.

Gordon has led the effort in Congress to stop these importations and ban the practice of allowing other countries to dispose their radioactive waste in the U.S. The bipartisan RID Act would prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from authorizing the importation of foreign-generated low-level nuclear waste for disposal in the U.S. unless the President deems the importation would meet critical national or international goals.

“This waste is generated all over the United States, but finding permanent disposal sites has proved difficult,” said Gordon. “Foreign waste threatens the capacity we have set aside in this country for the waste generated by our domestic industries—our medical facilities, university research labs and utility companies. It is critical that Congress protect that capacity. Today’s vote brings the RID Act one step closer to becoming law.”

One site, located in Utah, stores 99% of the United States’ low-level radioactive waste. Gordon’s bill would preserve the limited disposal space at this site for domestic companies that generate low-level radioactive waste. Having passed the House, the bill now moves to the Senate, where Senator Lamar Alexander has introduced the companion version of Gordon’s bill.

(Click here to watch Congressman Gordon’s opening remarks on Youtube. To download a high-quality version of the Congressman’s opening remarks, click here.)

November 19, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee approved Congressman Bart Gordon’s bipartisan legislation to ban the importation of foreign radioactive waste. Gordon’s bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence (RID) Act, H.R. 515, would prevent foreign-generated radioactive waste from being processed in Tennessee and disposed in the U.S.

“We’re the only nation in the world that accepts the nuclear waste of other countries for disposal and incurs the responsibility of monitoring it for generations to come,” said Gordon. “I am pleased my colleagues on the Committee recognized the importance of stopping this practice and approved this bipartisan legislation. Today’s vote brings the RID Act one step closer to becoming law.”

Currently, a permit is pending with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to import 20,000 tons of Italian low-level radioactive waste for disposal in the United States. This would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste. Permits to import and dispose radioactive waste from Mexico and Brazil are also pending. If these permits are approved, the nuclear waste shipments would be sent to Tennessee for processing and later disposed in Utah.

Gordon has been leading the effort in Congress to ban the practice of allowing other countries to dispose their radioactive waste in the U.S. The bipartisan RID Act would prohibit the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from authorizing the importation of foreign-generated low-level radioactive waste for disposal in the U.S. unless the President deems the importation would meet critical national or international goals.

“We already have limited space in our country for the radioactive waste generated by American entities and it should be preserved for them – the medical facilities, university research labs and utility companies. These industries in 37 states have only one available disposal site to use in Clive, Utah.” added Gordon.

The Energy and Commerce Committee approved the RID Act by a vote of 34 to 12. Approval by the full committee now clears the bill for consideration by the entire U.S. House of Representatives. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Lamar Alexander.

Click here to watch video from the hearing.