Calling for a national independent commission to review United States radioactive waste policy.

WHEREAS, The Department of Energy plans to move high level nuclear waste to Nevada through 43 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, beginning in 1998, under the provisions of H R.1020; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania can expect 3,S79 truck casks and 2,190 rail casks to come through highly populated areas; each rail cask holds up to 24 fuel assemblies which in terms of radioactivity is far more deadly than the Hiroshima bomb; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Energy would require a 30 year shipping period of existing high-level radioactive waste across the country to Yucca Mountain Nevada, nuclear waste that will remain hazardous for more than half a million years; and

WHEREAS, The transportation of this high-level nuclear waste is paid for by the utility rate payers in their electric bills; and

WHEREAS, Inadequate emergency management preparation exists in the Delaware Valley to handle critical accidents by rail or truck involving radioactive rnaterials and

WHEREAS, Alternative fuel Production such as wind power, solar thermal energy, solar photovoltaic electricity, and biomass power plants can replace nuclear energy and its hazardous wastes; and

WHEREAS, Continued production of nuclear fuel by nuclear plants will create additional transportation problems in disposal of their radioactive waste; and

WHEREAS, Bensalem and Falls Township have opposed transportation of radioactive waste through their communities; and

THE COUNCIL OF THE ClTY OF PHILADELPHI calls upon Congressmen Thomas Foglietta, Chaka Fattah and Robert Borski to oppose H.R. 1020 and calls for a national independent commission to review United States radioactive waste policy

RESOLVED, further, that copies of this resolution shall be sent to President Bill Clinton, Congressmen Thomas Foglietta, Chaka Fattah and Robert Borski and Senators Arlen Specter and Richard Santorurn as evidence of the sincere sentiment of this legislative body.

Passed unanimously on November 30, 1995