Nuclear Waste in Tennessee Landfills

1. Nuclear WasteinTennessee Landfills Thank you for coming tonight. I am going to present some of the facts that we have learned from our Press. We have been asking TDEC for answers but have yet to get any responses from them. As you know TDEC scheduled a public hearing for later this week then cancelled it. We are being subject to exposure to additional radiation through middle point but never had a choice. One would think we would have had a public hearing but we didn’t get one. So our goal is to help us all understand what is going on at middle point landfill.Thank you for coming tonight. I am going to present some of the facts that we have learned from our Press. We have been asking TDEC for answers but have yet to get any responses from them. As you know TDEC scheduled a public hearing for later this week then cancelled it. We are being subject to exposure to additional radiation through middle point but never had a choice. One would think we would have had a public hearing but we didn’t get one. So our goal is to help us all understand what is going on at middle point landfill.

3. HOW AND WHY TENNESSEE IS THE ONLY STATE TO ACCEPT “LOW-LEVEL” RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN ITS SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS

7. Age of Nuclear Reactors

8. The N-Waste Disappearing Act

10. No Place to Go but TN!The TN N-Waste Loophole

13. TN’s nuclear facilities

14. TDEC has deregulated the Nuclear Industry

17. We have asked TDEC to elaborate on this but have not yet received any information. At first the public was led to believe that most of this was from medical sources.We have asked TDEC to elaborate on this but have not yet received any information. At first the public was led to believe that most of this was from medical sources.

19. Where does LLRW come from? Only 20% of the low level radioactive waste that goes into TN landfills is generated from within the state Waste from decommissioned reactors comes to TN for processing and burial from as far away as California, Michigan, Connecticut, Washington state, and New York ENERGY SOLUTIONS has applied for a permit to bring 40,000 tons of waste to Tennessee from Italy. This will open the door to all the world’s waste coming to our fair state.

20. Types of Radioactive Waste High Level Radioactive Waste Irradiated (spent) Fuel Liquid and Sludge from Reprocessing Solidified Reprocessing Liquid -- can give a lethal dose unshielded in seconds. So-called “Low-Level” Radioactive Waste, not “low risk” --Filters, resins and sludges from cleaning the cooling water -- can give a lethal dose unshielded in 20 minutes. --Activated metal pipes and components --Control rods, poison curtains, racks that hold the fuel and entire reactors --Concrete basemats and containment domes --Dry radioactive waste The same plutonium, cesium, strontium , iodine and other atoms are high level in the fuel but “low-level” when they leak out .

21. What is going into TN landfills? There is no limit on the kind of radionuclides that can go to the solid waste landfills in TN (can be Plutonium, Strontium, Cesium, etc). Presumably the wastes are from Class A. Some of the wastes dumped in 2007 were: ?blasting grit used to clean reactor head studs in nuclear power plants; blasting grit from nuclear facilities ?water treatment resins from nuclear power plants ?C&D/Low-Level Soil from nuke facilities ?waste generated within radiological restricted areas ?dry radioactive waste ?Poly Ion Exchange Resin

22. Disclosed BSFR to Middle Pointfrom Media Sources 1994 -- 200,000 to 400,000 lbs/mo spent ion exchange resin, pellets that filter radiation out of water 1999 -- 40,000 lbs/wk soil area where scrap thorium alloy parts were stored. 4800 tons/mo trash from restricted area of a nuclear facility Loads of radioactive metal were taken to the dump, but it wasn't clear where it came from. 2005 - 10 million lbs - dismantled Big Rock Point nuclear plant Michigan 400 tons/mo contaminated dirt - UCLA at Los Angeles. 2

23. Middle Point Landfill in Walter Hill, Tennessee, on Stones River

24. Middle Point and Water Plant

26. Shelby County North Shelby County Landfills has received the most radioactive waste of any landfill in TN, over 17 Million Pounds in 6 years. The city of Memphis depends upon an underground aquifer for its drinking water. If the drinking water is contaminated, the health and welfare of 670,000 people will be threatened. Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee. Memphis lies on an earthquake fault. It might not take a major earthquake to damage those landfills and pollute the water.

27. BFI CARTER VALLEY LANDFILL Already Leaking Groundwater Contamination People becoming ill 2nd highest level of birth defects in Tennessee 5/06 BFI assessed $70,000 by TDEC for groundwater contamination, (after 2 years of warnings and violations notices ) TN Clean Water Network Director of Community Organizing, Rachael Bliss, cited the Hawkins County landfill as “a prime example of the TDEC’s failure to control leaking landfills contaminating ground and surface water.” Landfill leachate contaminates drinking water sources like groundwater and surface water with toxic pollutants that are known to cause birth defects, cancer, learning disabilities and other health problems. 

28. How does Tennessee Department of Conservation Measure & Verify Radioactivity Levels in Tennessee’s Landfills? Companies bringing in LLRW to Tennessee landfills are responsible for monitoring the levels of radiation from point of source—i.e. self-monitoring Gate Monitors are located at each landfill which receives radioactive waste It is possible to hide hotter radiation in center of trucks and escape detection by monitor It is also possible to BRIBE THE GATEKEEPERS

29. Low Level Radioactive Waste . . . is it worth the risks? Will eventually leak into the groundwater and drinking water, creating cancers, disease clusters, birth defects and learning disabilities. Ingested radiation, whether breathed in from the air, or consumed through drinking water, or from foods grown on contaminated land, is far more toxic to living creatures than external radiation.

31. Proposed New Reactors

32. Bellefonte

33. 50 mi radius Bellefonte Nuclear

35. Government reassurances We are told by TDEC and by the NRC that the maximum amount of radiation exposure we can receive from landfills or incinerators is one milli-rem per year, and that this level is safe (allowable). A millirem is a computer calculation which cannot be measured. These calculations for human safety are based upon a theory of what a young adult male can tolerate. No allowances are made for fetuses or children, who are most vulnerable, or for elderly people or those whose immune systems may be compromised.

36. RESRAD MAN

37. BEIR VII REPORT of the National Academy of Sciences: Study of the health risks from exposure to low levels of Ionizing Radiation The committee concludes that the higher the dose, the greater is the risk; the lower the dose, the lower is the likelihood of harm to human health. In case of in utero exposure (exposure of the fetus during pregnancy, excess cancers can be detected at doses as low as 10 mSv. Cells do not necessarily have to be hit directly by a radiation track for the cell to be affected. Studies in radiation biology show that a single radiation track (resulting in the lowest exposure possible) traversing the nucleus of an appropriate target cell has a low but finite probability of damaging the cell’s DNA. The committee has concluded that there is no compelling evidence to indicate a dose threshold below which the risk of tumor induction is zero. The committee concludes that the preponderance of information indicates that there will be some risk, even at low doses.

39. First year’s effort In late 2007, members of ENDIT met with Rep. Donna Rowland and asked her to sponsor legislation to ban dumping of nuclear waste in TN landfills. Rep. Rowland & Sen. Jim Tracy introduced legislation and then refrained from putting it on notice until threatened with press coverage. Legislation was killed in committees. Both legislators made a poor showing of defending bills. Multiple bills on radioactive waste introduced by Sen. Beverly Marrero & Rep. Jeanne Richardson, both of Memphis. All were killed by TDEC lawyer Alan Leicerson.

40. History of Rowland/Tracy bill Bill HistoryActions Taken on HB4064Action DateTaken Off Notice For Cal. in s/c Local Government of S&LG of State & Local Government Committee 04/16/2008 Placed on s/c cal Local Government of S&LG for 04/16/20080 4/09/2008Assigned to s/c Local Government of S&LG04/02/2008 Ref. to State & Local Government04/02/2008P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.02/07/2008P1C.02/04/2008Intro. 01/31/2008Filed for intro.01/31/2008 Actions Taken on SB4092Action DateAction Def. in S. E,C&T Comm. to 4/16/2008 04/09/2008Placed on S. E,C&T Comm. cal. for 04/09/2008 04/03/2008P2C, ref. to S. E,C&T Comm. 02/04/2008Intro., P1C.01/31/2008 Filed for intro.01/31/2008

41. TDEC kills another bill SB 4092 - HB 4064 February 27, 2008 SUMMARY OF BILL: Requires the Board of Solid Waste Disposal, in conjunction with Department of Environment and Conservation, to annually publish reports listing materials disposed of in landfills and listing violations by landfill owners. Requires information at a hazardous waste management facility that discloses the contents of what is being disposed to be public record.

42. ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT: Increase State Expenditures – $11,200/One-Time $64,200/Recurring Increase Local Expenditures* – Exceeds $100,000 Assumptions: The Department of Environment and Conservation will need two new clerks to handle administrative workload of compiling the information required by the bill. ? A recurring increase in state expenditures of $64,200 for the salaries ($39,552), benefits ($13,448), printing ($600), office space ($5,400), phones ($1,200), office supplies ($600), network connections ($2,400), and an annul contribution to the equipment replacement fund ($1,000) for the two additional positions. ? A one-time increase in state expenditures of $11,200 for office landscaping ($7,200) and PC’s ($4,000) for the two additional positions. ? 81 landfills in the state are operated by local governments. Each landfill will be required to maintain and submit information concerning the materials accepted. Assuming a cost of $1,500 for each locally owned landfill to document, maintain, and submit the required information, there is estimated to be an increase in local government expenditures exceeding $100,000 (81 x $1,500 = $121,500

43. Second year’s effort In January of 2009 we asked Sen. Marrero and Rep. Brenda Gilmore to sponsor only one bill, SB687/HB790, to ban the dumping of radioactive waste in TN landfills. This time several environmental groups in the state had become interested in supporting this legislation. Chamber of Commerce opposed bill. Lawyer Brian Paddock drew up the bill for us and helped negotiate it through committees. Chair of Tennessee Environmental Council, Don Safer also worked in lobbying for bill. Marrero sponsored a Senate resolution on Italian waste. Defeated in committee by one vote.

44. Fate of SB687/HB790 House Bill was sent to summer study committee. Senate Bill died in committee.

45. Italian Waste

46. Third year’s effort When the 2010 legislative session began, there were three bills introduced to ban the dumping of radioactive waste in TN landfills. Sen. Andy Berke and Rep. Ty Cobb modified their bill, SB2735/HB2826, to ban the downblending of radioactive waste in TN. This bill passed in the Senate Committee on Environment & Conservation, but was defeated in the House State Government Sub-committee.

47. VOTES SB2735 by Berke - S. E,C&T COMM.: Recommended for passage w/amendments- refer to: S. Cal. Comm. 3/23/2010 Passed          Ayes................................................5          Noes................................................4          Senators voting aye were: Barnes, Burks, Jackson, Southerland, Stewart -- 5.          Senators voting no were: Faulk, Johnson, Woodson, Yager – 4. HB2826 by Cobb T - STATE GOVERNMENT OF S&LG: Recommended for passage w/amendments- refer to: State & Local Government Committee 4/6/2010 Passed          Ayes................................................3          Noes................................................3          Representatives voting aye were: Cobb T, Litz, Pruitt -- 3.          Representatives voting no were: Carr, Haynes, McCormick -- 3.

48. Our bill HB2911/SB2801 Again Sen. Beverly Marrero and Rep. Brenda Gilmore sponsored a bill, drafted by Brian Paddock, to ban the dumping of radioactive waste in TN landfills. Again Don Safer, Brian, and I lobbied in favor of the bill. Again TDEC and the C of C worked against it. This time the house bill was sent to the House Sub-committee on State Government, where it passed, then to the full Committee on State and Local Government, where, for the third time, it was sent to summer study. The Senate bill was never heard.

49. The Third Bill A backup bill was introduced by Rep. Mike Turner of Nashville and Sen. Roy Herron. This is HB3402/SB3221. Their bill was modified to require that processors who send special waste to landfills report in advance amounts and kinds of waste to the local officials of the community and to the local newspapers. This bill passed the House Committee on State and Local Government but is pending in the Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

50. HJR798 on Foreign Waste This resolution was introduced by Rep. Ulysses Jones of Memphis. It has been co-sponsored by several other representatives, including Kent Coleman from Rutherford. Pending for full House vote on May 20.

51. What Can You Do? Stay informed on issues and legislation regarding nuclear reactors and nuclear waste. Read Dr. Helen Caldicott’s book Nuclear Power is Not the Answer. Go to websites such as www.nirs.org and www.ieer.org and www.solarvalleycoalition.net. Check out organizations such as Physicians for Social Responsibility and Union of Concerned Scientists. Learn more about your representatives, both at the state and local levels. Check their voting records. Let them hear from you regularly. Sign the sheet to join ENDIT mailing list. I send out notices of important legislation.