By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A Missouri State Senator wants to charge a fee for transporting radioactive waste across the state.
Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons says the federal government has designated Interstates 70 and 80 as preferred routes for transporting the waste. And he notes Iowa already is charging transportation fees.
Gibbons says more waste is likely to move through the state if Missouri doesn't start charging for such shipments. "I want to protect the people of Missouri and make sure we're not the radioactive waste pipeline for the rest of the country."
Under the proposal, it would cost $1,800 for each cask of radioactive waste shipped by truck and $1,300 for an initial railway shipment.
The fees would be used to pay for Highway Patrol escorts, statewide radiation monitoring, and training for first responders.
"I think this legislation is a good first step," says nuclear waste watchdog Kay Drey. "It sounds to me that the fees are not adequate, but maybe they could increase them, or certainly they should increase them, but it sounds to me like a good first step."
Drey says Illinois' fees are more significant, at $2,500 per cask by truck and $4,500 for the first cask by rail.
But Gibbons notes that might be because both of the government's routes for shipments (I-70 and I-80) run through Illinois, while just I-70 goes through Missouri.