Nuclear Energy Information Service
Illinois' Nuclear Power Watchdog for 25 Years

Radwaste Transportation Media Event

PRESS ADVISORY

Radioactive Roads & Rails Wagon Train of Conscience RETURNS:
Setting the Record Straight on Yucca Mountain & Mobile Chernobyl

When:

Saturday, June 15, 2002 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where:

on display at the Rolling Thunder Democracy Tour
Union Park, Lake Street & Ashland Ave., Chicago

What:

A convoy of FIVE scale, simulated high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) shipping casks are returning from a hugely successful Yucca Mt./Mobile Chernobyl public awareness and educational tour of the Great Lakes and Midwest.

They are on their way to a major press event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 18th.

Members of the Tour will be available for interview. Photo and travel opportunities with the casks are invited.

Why:

The historic record on the suitability of the Yucca Mt. site to keep radioactive wastes out of the environment for 10,000 years as the law would require has not been demonstrated; yet, members of the Administration and Congress are caving in to nuclear industry demands to select a flawed site so they can assuage the public that a "solution" for HLRW perpetual storage has been reached. This allows the nuclear industry to continue to manufacture even more HLRW. The Congress is poised to select a demonstrably inferior and potentially dangerous site, a decision more of political expedience than technical merit. Should this happen, Illinois will need to brace itself for a torrent of HLRW shipments (estimated at between 37,000 and 64,000, depending on the mode of travel) when the site opens in 10 years.

This Road Tour is designed to "set the record straight" on these serious issues. Participants will have the opportunity to have questions answered, and get involved to correct these glaring deficiencies in nuclear industry performance.

Members of the media will be given opportunities to meet directly with cask Tour members. They can arrange for live and taped interviews, solicit guests for shows, and will be given numerous photo opportunities. Members of the media are invited to travel with the Wagon Train during the Chicago leg of its trip, the afternoon and evening of June 15th (as they leave town for other destinations). A copy of the full Wagon Train itinerary is available through NEIS.

Who:

Road contact numbers for various casks (to find current locations of casks):

Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Project and Wagon Train of Conscience coordinator, Nuclear Information & Resource Service,
202-328-0002; 202-262-9518, cell
Chris Williams, CACI, 317-445-4239 cell
Kalynda Tilges, Citizen Alert, 702-743-8523, cell
Claude Ward, BREDL, 910-604-0214, cell
Deb Katz, Tim Judson, CAN, 413-834-2783, cell
John Hadder, Citizen Alert, 702-501-8965, cell

LOCAL CONTACT:
Dave Kraft, Director
Nuclear Energy Information Service
(847)869-7650; -7658 fax
neis@neis.org
http://www.neis.org

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