Welcome to the CSG Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee Update. Below are links and summaries of several important happenings from the last few weeks. Please don't hesitate to contact Lisa (920/458-5910) or Sarah (630/925-1922) with any questions or concerns about any of these issues.

Indy-cision

On your mark. Get set. Go to Indy. That's right, folks, the spring committee meeting will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, the week of June 16th. Exact dates and hotel details have not yet been worked out, but please block off that week in your calendars. The committee had originally thought about holding the spring meeting in conjunction with the Midwestern Legislative Conference annual meeting in Rapid City, South Dakota, in July. But given the timing, logistics, and the ongoing problems plaguing the repository program, it made sense to hold off on that plan. The committee will consider collaboration with the MLC annual meeting in future years.

In related news, follow-up materials from the fall meeting in Columbus will be sent to participants this week. These items will also be online at the end of the week. Click here to access the meeting page.

Follow the Leaders

In Columbus, the committee reviewed and filled lead state assignments for the various tasks within our cooperative agreement with DOE. The lead states are members of the Midwestern work group and TEC Topic Groups associated with the task (if any), and are responsible for working with Lisa and Sarah to get preliminary comments, correspondence, or other materials needed to accomplish the task ready for review by the entire committee. Below is a list of tasks and lead state assignments:

• Route Selection: lead states will work on the national route selection process and are members of the Routing Topic Group. Jane Beetem (MO), Dan Fisher (OH), Melanie Rasmusson (IA) and Tim Runyon (IL) are assigned to this task.
• State Capabilities and Needs: lead states will work on a pilot state needs assessment if funding becomes available. Kevin Leuer (MN), Rep. David Niezgodski (IN), Jon Schwarz (NE) and Ken Woodall (IN) are assigned to this task.
• Section 180(c): lead states will review and comment on the Section 180(c) Federal Register notice, will work on the 180(c) pilot project, and are members of the 180(c) Topic Group. Sen. Carolyn McGinn (KS), Thor Strong (MI) and Rep. Phil Montgomery (WI) are assigned to this task.
• Transportation Planning: lead states will review DOE's National Transportation Plan and other planning documents, and are members of the Rail Topic Group and its many subgroups. Jane Beetem (MO), Melanie Rasmusson (IA), Tim Runyon (IL), Jon Schwarz (NE) and Thor Strong (MI) are assigned to this task.
• Transportation Practices Manual: lead states will review updates and revisions to DOE's Practices Manual and are members of the Manual Review Topic Group. Jane Beetem (MO), Bob Owen (OH) and Thor Strong (MI) are assigned to this task.
• Information and Communication: lead states will review DOE fact sheets and other public information materials, Midwestern publications, and are members of the Communications Topic Group (if reconvened). Melanie Rasmusson (IA), Paul Schmidt (WI), Lieut. Carla Schreiber (NE), Johnny Smith (WI), and Thor Strong (MI) are assigned to this task.
• Security Planning: lead states will work with the NRC on information sharing, will review DOE security plans, and are members of the Security Topic Group. John Erickson (NE), Tim Runyon (IL), Capt. Dean House (IA), and Lieut. Carla Schreiber (NE) are assigned to this task.
• 2008 Yucca Mountain Tour: lead states will help plan the agenda for the 2008 Yucca Mountain tour, which is scheduled for June 8-9. Jane Beetem (MO, Sen. Amy Koch (MN), and Kevin Leuer (MN) are assigned to this task.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to serve on one or more work groups. If you have not signed up but have an interest in one of the groups, please contact Lisa Janairo at ljanairo@csg.org.

Click here for a complete list of lead state assignments.

Prognosis on DR SEIS Is In

The committee's comments on DOE's Draft Repository Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DR SEIS) were transmitted to DOE this week. The DR SEIS addresses national transportation to the repository and includes a representative set of rail and highway routes to assess the impact of transportation on the states. Last fall, the committee's transportation work group reviewed the document and compiled a set of preliminary comments. The full committee discussed these comments and concerns at the meeting in Columbus. Lisa incorporated additional comments from committee members into the draft comments and the Co-Chairs gave the document their final approval. DOE plans to review the comments and issue a Final EIS in June. Thanks to everyone, especially the transportation planning work group, for your hard work on this.

Click here for the final version of the committee's comments.

Thanks for reading! Look for our next update in your inbox in two weeks.

Sincerely,
Lisa Janairo and Sarah Wochos
Committee Staff