National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference Chicago Illinois March

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference Chicago, Illinois March 30, 2010 U. S. DOE Preparation for Shipping of Transuranic Radioactive Waste Cross Country – The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) O. W. “Lynn” Eaton, Manager External Emergency Management URS – Washington Division Carlsbad, New Mexico

A national solution • WIPP is the world's first repository for the permanent disposal of defense-generated transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste left from research and production of nuclear weapons.

What is TRU waste? • Clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other items contaminated with man -made radioactive elements that are heavier than uranium. • Risks to the public – Inhalation – Ingestion

Types of TRU waste • Contact-handled (CH) – Primarily emits alpha radiation and can be handled under controlled conditions without any shielding beyond the container itself – About 96 percent of waste to be disposed at WIPP – Disposed in columns on the disposal room floor – Disposal began in March 1999 • Remote-handled (RH) – Emits more penetrating radiation than CH-TRU waste and is transported and handled in certified casks that provide additional shielding – About four percent of waste to be disposed at WIPP – Disposed in pre-drilled boreholes in the walls of the disposal room and sealed with a concrete shield plug – Disposal began in January 2007

The Key to Emergency Preparedness Success Cooperation and Coordination With State and Tribal Governments • Western Governors Association • Southern States Energy Board • Midwest and Northeastern Offices of the Council of State Governments • 10 tribal Governments • Separate Agreements with New Mexico

The WIPP Repository • Located in sparsely populated desert • 2, 150 feet below ground • Eight disposal panels • Four shafts

The Underground

WIPP Transportation System “…The [WIPP transportation] system is safer than that employed for any other hazardous material in the U. S…. ” National Academy of Sciences, WIPP Panel

From Here to There 9

Safest shipping containers on the road • Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified – – TRUPACT-II Half. PACT RH-72 B CNS 10 -160 B • Proven leak tight after rigorous testing – 30 -foot drop – Puncture bar test – 30 minutes in 1, 475 -degree jet fuel fire

Shipments tracked by satellite • Fully automated, nation-wide tracking to within 500 feet • Five-minute updates • States and tribes have access to password-protected Web site • Drivers in constant communication with WIPP’s Central Monitoring Room

Provided to the States and Tribes Public Law 102 -579 requires DOE to consult with state and tribal governments and if found to be appropriate and necessary, provide: • Technical Assistance • Funding for Equipment • Training • In-Kind Services • Briefings to State and Local Governments • Public Outreach 12

Emergency responders trained along pre-approved routes • Since 1988, more than 30, 000 emergency responders have been trained – 36 Full Scale Exercises – State, tribe and hospital personnel training – Outreach to governments and organizations

• Modular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training (MERRTT) • Medical Examiner • NIMS and ICS Courses • Hospital Preparedness Course Based on FEMA G-346

What Else Have We Accomplished? • 8, 300+ shipments received • More than 65, 000 cubic meters of waste disposed • More than 128, 000 waste containers emplaced underground • Fifteen sites around the nation cleaned up of legacy transuranic waste • More than 9. 8 million loaded miles safely driven en route to WIPP

Questions & Answers 575 -234 -8105