[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 69 (Thursday, May 13, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5194-S5195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DANGERS OF NUCLEAR WASTE TRANSPORTATION

  Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, next Sunday and Monday, NBC is scheduled to 
air a miniseries entitled ``Atomic Train.'' The plot of this movie 
includes a runaway train carrying nuclear weapons and high-level 
nuclear waste causing a massive accident and catastrophe in Denver.
  The movie is obviously fiction. Let me just tell you how the network 
initially described the scenario:

       A runaway train carrying armed nuclear weapons and deadly 
     nuclear waste suddenly careens out of control down the Rocky 
     Mountains.

  All of this made the nuclear power industry very nervous, because 
although the scenario is fictional, much of what is depicted, in part, 
is a scenario that is entirely possible, given the proposed legislation 
I will describe that this Congress is considering.
  Earlier this week, just days before this was to air, all of a sudden 
NBC changes the story line of the television miniseries, and now we 
have:

       A runaway train carrying a Russian atomic weapon and 
     hazardous materials, suddenly careening out of control.

  All reference to high-level nuclear waste is dropped. The Nuclear 
Energy Institute, which is the lobbying arm of the atomic energy lobby, 
was forced to go into high gear. They sent out what they called an 
``Info Wire.'' They were very concerned. They say, in effect:


[[Page S5195]]


       NEI, in consultation with industry communicators and 
     representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy and the 
     American Association of Railroads, has adopted a containment 
     strategy for the upcoming movie. We do not want to do 
     anything to provide additional publicity for this movie prior 
     to the airing. The containment strategy is not a passive 
     one, in that it envisions an aggressive effort prior to 
     the broadcast.

  It is the belief of this Senator that indeed it was a very aggressive 
effort, and the Nuclear Energy Institute put pressure on the network to 
drop all references to dangerous high-level nuclear waste. The last 
thing this industry wants the American people to understand is that 
legislation which has been supported in previous Congresses, and in 
this Congress, would result in the shipment of 77,000 metric tons of 
high-level nuclear waste within a mile or less of a total population of 
50 million residing in 43 States.
  The blue lines depict rails, and indeed there is a transportation 
corridor going through the State of Colorado, as well as others.
  So why did NBC do an ``el foldo''? NBC is owned by General Electric 
and, surprise, General Electric has a nuclear division, and one of its 
senior officers is a member of the board of directors of NEI.
  I acknowledge it is a fictional scenario. But what is very real is 
that in point of fact the proposal is to transport high-level nuclear 
waste through all these rail corridors that are depicted on this map. 
That is not fictional. That is real.
  It is, in fact, real that high-level nuclear waste is deadly, as NBC 
first described it. In fact, it is deadly for tens of thousands of 
years. In point of fact, as we know, every year there are thousands of 
train accidents in America. A runaway train is not a fictional 
scenario. That is something that occurs, sadly, from time to time. It 
is not a fictional scenario for a train and an automobile or a truck to 
collide at an at-grade crossing. That occurred tragically earlier this 
year in Illinois. It is not fictional for trains to be derailed.
  The last thing this industry wants the American people to know and to 
understand is that, indeed, the shipment of high-level nuclear waste, 
proposed to be sent to a temporary--allegedly temporary--storage area 
in my own State, at the Nevada Test Site, is a scenario that would 
involve the transshipment of 77,000 metric tons of high-level nuclear 
waste, with all of the risks that are inherent therein.
  What is even more outrageous is that it is totally unnecessary. The 
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board tells us it is unnecessary. The 
Department of Energy has indicated it is unnecessary. The President has 
indicated he would veto such legislation. All the risks depicted in 
this scenario with high-level nuclear wastes could be a reality if 
there was a tragic train accident and, indeed, the canisters were 
compromised and high-level nuclear waste was scattered along the route.
  I think this is a very dangerous proposal. I think the fact the 
network would cave in is equally dangerous, because the American people 
have a right to know what is being proposed. In Nevada, we understand 
the risk. Sadly, there are hundreds of millions of Americans in this 
country who are not familiar with the nuclear industry's proposal to 
make their backyards the corridor by which high-level nuclear waste is 
to pass.
  I must say, with tongue in cheek, if this is to be the standard, one 
might contemplate that the cruise line industry might have put pressure 
upon the producers of ``Titanic'': Please do not make any reference to 
the fact that the ship is sinking. This may be bad for business. Or the 
producers of ``Planet Of The Apes'' might have been subjected to 
pressure from PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 
saying: Look, we object to the way in which these apes are being 
treated in the film; please make changes. Or if some of the advocates 
of my own State approached the producers of ``Casino'' and said: Look, 
we don't want you to make any references to ``Casino'' in this story 
line; please delete that.

  In my judgment, the circumstantial evidence is powerful here. The 
description I have given, namely of deadly nuclear waste, was the 
network's own description just days ago. The NEI goes into a full court 
press, what they call a containment strategy--what we all know is 
damage control--and, miraculously, days before this miniseries is 
scheduled to air, the story line is changed and all references to 
deadly nuclear waste are deleted.
  I hope the American people will not be misled, that they will 
understand the risks that affect them and their neighborhoods. Mr. 
President, 43 different States are affected in this scenario. This map 
I have here depicts essentially the States. Because, by their nature, 
highway corridors and rail corridors connect the major metropolitan 
communities of our country, this high-level nuclear waste would in fact 
go through major cities in America. That fact is largely unknown.
  Last year, I had occasion to travel with my senior colleague to the 
two communities of Denver and St. Louis, and to share with those 
communities the risks that are involved. Most people in the community 
did not have any understanding that this scenario is not fictional and 
far-fetched but, indeed, it is contemplated that those shipments will 
occur.
  I regret NBC felt it was necessary to respond to the pressure of the 
nuclear power industry. Having been involved in this battle for the 
last 17 years, I am not unmindful of what a powerful force they are, 
not only in Washington but around the country. They have every right to 
advocate their point of view. As to their concern that somehow their 
industry would be exposed for what it is, a high-risk industry that 
threatens the health and safety of many Americans with this ill-
conceived and unnecessary plan to ship nuclear waste to a temporary 
nuclear waste facility in my own State, at least this movie would have 
made the public aware that high-level nuclear waste is dangerous, to 
use the description NBC initially gave; that it was indeed going to 
pass through major cities such as Denver; and that indeed the health 
and safety of citizens of those communities and many others across the 
country could be compromised.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and the remainder of my time.

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