The federal government wants to bury America's High-Level nuclear waste inside Yucca Mountain, Nevada (about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas). Initially promoted as dry (no groundwater to spread leaking waste), seismically inactive and far from any population centers. Subsequent earthquakes, water damage to monitoring instruments inside the mountain, and protests by the State of Nevada, Clark County, etc. belie all of these claims. Our government and the Nuclear Industry press ahead.

Illinois' location in the middle of the country, its profusion of rail and highway junctions, has always made it a transportation hub. Moving nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain will mean moving it through a number of major population centers - places like Chicago, Las Vegas, Omaha, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, etc.

Proposed US Transportation Routes to Yucca Mountain HLRW Dump (MAP)

Proposed Illinois Transportation Routes to Yucca Mountain HLRW Dump (MAP)

BLOWING THE WHISTLE

Waste will be moved in large "Dry Casks" strapped onto flatbed trucks, railcars, etc.

The industry currently uses Dry Casks manufactured by Holtec for on-site storage of Nuclear Waste at several power plants. Whistleblower and Exelon employee Oscar Shirani was fired after he discovered numerous flaws with Holtec's design. Once one of the industry's most respected quality assurance professionals, Oscar now finds himself ostracized by the people who used to attend his lectures. Read his story here.