Shipments of transuranic (TRU) waste destined for the U.S Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad are scheduled to resume in April 2017.
These will be the first shipments received at the facility since the February 2014 radiation releases.
In preparation for the resumption of shipping, the DOE Carlsbad Field Office will be supporting state-sponsored road shows along the active transportation routes. The road shows give local officials and members of the public the chance to see the actual shipping package for TRU waste – the TRUPACT-II – and to understand the WIPP transportation protocols and requirements, including driver standards, package design and testing requirements, inspection procedures, and emergency response plans and equipment.
Those attending the state-sponsored event will have an opportunity to speak about the WIPP and its TRU waste shipping program with TRU truck drivers, local transportation inspectors, local emergency responders, and representatives from the WIPP.
Road shows will be presented during the month of March along transportation corridors covering New Mexico and Texas; the Southern Route (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina) and the Western States Route (Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming) to WIPP.
The DOE will issue social media updates as the dates and times for additional road shows are confirmed. Road shows confirmed for the coming week include:
Carlsbad: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, in the Jenkins Home Furnishings parking lot, 2320 W. Pearce
Hobbs: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at New Mexico Junior College, 5317 N. Lovington Hwy.
The road show will give attendees the opportunity to see the actual shipping package and become familiar with WIPP transportation protocols. Those attending will have an opportunity to speak with representatives from the WIPP about the project, transportation requirements and shipping procedures.
