A year ago all nuclear waste shipments coming from Colorado or DOE's Fernald, Ohio, uranium processing plant traveled over Hoover Dam or through the Spaghetti Bowl, Gertz said. As of June 30 it was down to 30 percent. The formal agreement does not address other routes that local government have objected to, such as Cheyenne Avenue in North Las Vegas or Interstate 215 through Henderson. Nor does it cover any waste producer other than Rocky Flats, though Gertz said the DOE has informal agreements with other producers. However, in case of highway construction or an emergency such as accidents, earthquakes or floods, the drivers are allowed to take the major federal routes that cross the dam and go through the Spaghetti Bowl, Gertz said.
Local officials are skeptical.
With the low-level waste shipping trend on the rise, they wonder how the DOE can avoid those two choke points. Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas had complained to the DOE that nuclear shipments through heavily congested areas raised the potential for a nuclear accident. The problem is shipping nuclear waste through populated areas, County Emergency Services Director Bob Andrews said. Whatever route they take, the trend is pointing toward an increase in shipments. During the first three months of 2000 DOE shipped 112 truckloads through Las Vegas.