The Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Project

The Role of States in Planning Shipments of Radioactive Materials

Since 1998, CSG Midwest has assisted the Midwestern states in planning and preparing for DOE shipments that travel through the region. Through its cooperative agreement with DOE, CSG Midwest brings the states together at regional meetings and in other forums to discuss shipment plans with DOE and the route states in other regions.

Since 2002, CSG Midwest has published and updated a Planning Guide for Shipments of Radioactive Materials through the Midwestern States. The guide contains the region’s recommended practices for all shipments of spent fuel, transuranic waste and high-level radioactive waste that pass through the region. In addition, the Planning Guide contains a state-by-state listing of points-of-contact, state laws, escort and inspection requirements, fees and other information related to planning and scheduling shipments.

For many of DOE’s campaigns, the states have benefited from financial assistance agreements with CSG Midwest. These agreements enable the states to tap DOE funding to reduce the cost to the state of preparing for shipments. Such costs have included training for first responders and hospitals, purchasing equipment, monitoring shipments, attending planning meetings, and inspecting and escorting shipments both at the point of origin and when the shipment is en route.

To learn more about the Midwestern states’ role in shipment planning, contact Melissa Shahzadeh.

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Numbers DE-NE0008604, DE-EM0004869, and DE-EM0002327.

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.