Radiological Waste Transportation Policy

Colorado is a member state of the Western Governors’ Association  as well as the Western Interstate Energy Board.

Defense-Generated Waste

In 1987, the Western Governors expanded their mission to include US Department of Energy radioactive waste transportation issues. A collaborative relationship was established with the US Department of Energy to develop a comprehensive transportation safety program for shipments of radioactive waste to interim and permanent storage sites across the nation. Since the majority of storage sites are in the western United States, the Western Governors attend to all waste streams that are the result of cleanup of defense operations. They have promulgated a number of resolutions conveying their interests and policies:

• Western Governors' Association, Policy Resolution 06-4
  U.S. Department of Energy Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and Transportation of TRU Waste, June 13, 2006.

• Western Governors’ Association, Policy Resolution 08-5

  Department of Energy Facilities Cleanup Program

Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste

The Western Governors’ Association supports permanent, safe geologic disposal as the long-term national policy for managing and finally disposing of spent nuclear fuel and High-Level Waste. In support of that effort, a number of resolutions have been promulgated:

• Western Governors’ Association, Policy Resolution 08-6

  Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste

• Western Governors' Association, Policy Resolution 06-7
  Private Storage and Transportation of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel, June 13, 2006.

• Western Governors’ Association, Policy Resolution 07-2

  Assessing the Risks of Terrorism and Sabotage Against High-Level Nuclear Waste Shipments to a Geologic Repository or Interim Storage Facility

• Western Governors' Association, Policy Resolution 08-4

  Enhancing Security During Transport of Radioactive Materials in Quantities of Concern. This WIEB Resolution was put in place to share the Western Governor’s policy in the matter of security of the transport of “Radioactive Materials in Quantities of Concern” which are shipments of “product” rather than “waste”.