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Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan
See Hudson, NY newspaper story below
Department of Transportation Docket Management System statements are posted
regarding DOT-E 9649. If you have sent a statement to the DOT regarding
this exemption, please see if your statement has been properly entered in
the public record. Many statements have not been posted.
This information can be accessed by going to http://dms.dot.gov
At the bottom and left side of the page, go to Simple Search. Then enter
18576 for the Docket Number. This should bring up three pages listing
133 entries on DOT-E 9649.
If your statement is not listed, you may send your statement again.
In addition, the renewal process is still open. You may send additional
statements. It appears the DOT has not yet addressed our concerns of
burning depleted uranium in the case of an accident involving depleted uranium
munitions. The Department of Defense has submitted statements indicating
depleted uranium munitions are less radioactive than previously believed.
Please look at this public website, and resubmit your statement if it is not
posted. Please address technical and scientific issues involved in depleted
uranium munitions shipments if you are able to do so.
I have submitted five different statements to the DOT on DOT-E 9649.
Only one is posted, a request for public hearings. I will resubmit the
four other statements and a new one.
DOT-E 9649 has not been renewed. Letters may still be sent to the Department
of Transportation.
The Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan is an attempt by activists across
the United States to prevent the renewal of a special U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) exemption, DOT-E 9649, which allows the shipment of depleted uranium
munitions without a DOT “Radioactive” placard displayed on the
shipment.
The expiration date for the exemption was June 30, 2004. The complete
action plan is posted at http://www.grassrootspeace.org/du_mun_action_plan.pdf
or contactinfo@gzcenter.org
for a copy.
Organizations sponsoring the Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan: Ground
Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Poulsbo, Washington :
www.gzcenter.org E-mail: info@gzcenter.org;Traprock
Peace Center, Deerfield, Massachusetts : www.grassrootspeace.org
E-mail: traprock@crocker.com; Military
Toxics Project, Lewiston, Maine www.miltoxproj.org
Email: mtp@miltoxproj.org; Nukewatch,
Luck, Wisconsin www.nukewatch.com
E-mail: nukewatch@lakeland.ws
July 20 update:
Delmer Billings said of the Department of Defense that “the ball is
in their court.” He said that things will remain unchanged for
at least another two weeks. We have this time, and possibly more time,
to submit new information regarding DOT-E 9649.
Delmer Billings is also processing a Freedom of Information Act request I
have submitted regarding this issue.
Delmer Billings, and others in the Exemptions and Approvals office of the
DOT, seem to be conscientious about their jobs. They appear to be understaffed
and overworked, but serious about public safety.
The following is updated information based on discussions with Mr. Delmer Billings of the Department of Transportation on May 3, 2004 and July 9, 2004 and a letter from the U.S. Army to Congressman Jay Inslee dated July 6, 2004:
DOT-E 9649 has not been renewed. Mr. Delmer Billings of the DOT stated
on July 9, 2004 that his agency is waiting for further information regarding
the shipment of depleted uranium munitions. The U.S. Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
(SDDC, formerly MTMC), which manages the shipment of depleted uranium
munitions, has been granted a time extension in order to provide information
requested by the DOT.
Congressman Jay Inslee (north Seattle area) received a letter
dated July 6, 2004 from Major General Ann Dunwoody, of the U.S. Army, SDDC,
that stated, "...the Department of Defense shipped depleted uranium
munitions in the United States and overseas in both 2003 and 2004. DOD used DOT-E 9649 for those shipments."
This statement directly contradicted a statement by Major Mark Wyrosdick,
of the U.S. Army, SDDC, in the March 2, 2004 renewal application for DOT-E
9649, which said, "There were no shipments made by DOD using this exemption..."
Congressman Inslee also received a statement from the DOT
dated July 6, 2004 which said the DOT is still reviewing the exemption.
Mr. Delmer Billings, Director of the Office of Hazardous Materials of the Department of Transportation (DOT), stated on May 3, 2004 he thought he had received approximately 50 to 75 statements against the exemption renewal through e-mail and the postal service. It is likely activists have sent well over 100 letters or e-mail messages to Delmer Billings against the renewal of this exemption.
Mr. Billings stated on July 9, 2004 that the DOT would soon be placing all letters, messages and documents regarding the renewal of DOT-E 9649 on the DOT docket management system which will be available for viewing online at http://dms.dot.gov. Mr. Delmer said the docket number should be available around July 16, 2004.
Statements by activists may still be made to the Department of Transportation regarding DOT-E 9649. Mr. Billings stated on July 9, 2004 that he did not know why U.S. Army officers of the same military command, managing depleted uranium shipments, would give contradicting statements about whether the exemption is used. Mr. Billing also stated he could not deny the application for renewal until the Department of Defense is given the chance to respond to opposing allegations.
A related statement from 1998: A letter from the Chief of the Transportation Operations Team, E. M. Jones, of the Department of the Army dated December 3, 1998, to the Commander of the Military Traffic Management Command stated that DOT-E 9649, at that time, needed to be renewed. The letter stated the current exemption expired on December 31, 1998. The letter stated, "The requirements for military shipments of munitions containing components made of depleted uranium has not changed." The Chief of the Transportation Operations Team further stated, "Historically, we have shipped millions of tons of this type of ammunition without incident under this exemption since this exemption was first approved." (emphasis added--note that just 2 million tons over the 12 year period since DOT-E 9649 had been approved would average 166,000 tons of depleted uranium munitions shipped under this exemption each year.)
I apologize for the delay in reporting on this issue. Congressman Inslee had been trying since May 20, 2004 to obtain the statement from the U.S. Army that the exemption is used by the military. I will post the docket number for DOT-E 9649 when it is available. I can be contacted at gkaajm@juno.com or at (206) 365-7865. Glen Milner
The following is from the
original Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan:
What to do:
Contact the Department of
Transportation Exemptions division and ask that the DOT immediately terminate and not
renew DOT-E 9649. Depleted
uranium munitions should have a "Radioactive" placard and an "Explosives"
placard on shipments. Depleted
uranium is an extremely toxic material and much more dangerous when shipped
with an explosive propellant as in the case of DU munitions. In case of a fire, first responders (local
police and fire fighters) would have no idea the shipment contained radioactive
material. The public has a right
to know about hazardous shipments through their communities.
Send correspondence regarding
DOT-E 9649 to: Mr. Delmer
Billings DHM-31
Director, Office of Hazardous
Materials, Exemptions and Approvals
Department of Transportation
400 7th St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20590
Fax: (202) 366-3308 E-mail: delmer.billings@rspa.dot.gov
Please
also (if you want) send a copy to info@gzcenter.org Please share this information with others and local
officials.
Organizations
sponsoring the Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan:
Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Poulsbo, Washington : www.gzcenter.org E-mail: info@gzcenter.org;Traprock Peace Center, Deerfield, Massachusetts : www.grassrootspeace.org E-mail: traprock@crocker.com; Military Toxics Project, Lewiston, Maine www.miltoxproj.org Email: mtp@miltoxproj.org; Nukewatch, Luck, Wisconsin www.nukewatch.com E-mail: nukewatch@lakeland.ws
Nuke ammo transport worries county
By: JACK MABB
The Independent
07/20/2004
HUDSON-At any given time radioactive material in the form of depleted uranium
from nuclear power plants and munitions may be traveling the rails and roadways
of America.
And while local officials understand
the need for security surrounding these shipments, a growing number of them
also say the safety of local first responders, responding to a train or truck
accident involving these shipments, must be considered.
Last week, Columbia County supervisors
voiced their concerns on the subject following a request from the Ulster County
Legislature.
"We need to protect our first responders
at all cost. It isn't fair that they have no clue what they are dealing with,"
says Susan Zimet, a member of the Ulster County Legislature. She sponsored
a resolution in her county that calls on the federal Department of Transportation
not to renew DOT-E9649, a regulation that allows the Military Management Command
to transport explosives and radioactive material with only an "explosive"
placard affixed to the container. In the event of an accident that released
the material, first responders coming to the scene would have no knowledge
of the potential radioactive danger.
The regulation expired June 30 of this
year. And Ms. Zimet says the DOT has listened to those opposed to continuation
of the regulation and has not yet
renewed it. In May, the Ulster County
Legislature unanimously approved the resolution calling for the DOT to require
identification of radioactive cargoes. The Columbia County Board of Supervisors
adopted a similar resolution at its meeting last week.
While Columbia County seems far removed
from weapons production and nuclear power plants, the threads that link this
county with other vulnerable communities are the two CSX rail lines that pass
through eight towns here.
Ms. Zimet says Ulster's emergency management
director tried to find out the routes and times the material is shipped but
ran into a brick wall of silence.
She says federal officials were "not
forthcoming on information of the route or manner the material was transported
over." Ms. Zimet says at one point some radioactive material was produced
in the Albany suburb of Colonie, which leads here to believe "that material
passed though our counties at some time."
Opponents of the regulation describe
DU as "extremely toxic material," with the danger increased when
it is shipped as part of munitions. One group, Nukewatch, in Luck, Wis., says
an accident with these weapons could have the effect of igniting what the
federal government has described as "dirty bomb," a device the government
has said terrorist organizations might try to build and detonate.
County Fire Coordinator James Van Deusen
says it is a good idea to mark the containers to give first responders a fighting
chance. "If they get there and then discover what it is I think they
will be out of luck," he says. He adds that while firefighters are taught
to check the scene for their own safety first, the drive to help may overwhelm
that learned prudence.
"Know what you're getting into-we
teach it all the time. But in the heat of a call sometimes it's how fast can
you get there," he says.
While train transport is relatively safe,
the Department of Transportation reports that there are 2,000 derailments
and 7,300 train accidents annually.
The Military Management Command has said
that because of the risk of terrorism, a cask ruptured on purpose is essentially
a dirty bomb, and the government needs to keep security on the shipments tight.
Ms. Zimet understands the argument, but she wonders why in lieu of a placard
on the cars or trailer identifying radioactive materials local emergency management
offices couldn't be notified of nuclear materials transportation routes and
times.
"I believe that they believe they
need to keep this a secret, but that doesn't mean we stop worrying about our
first responders," she says.
Mr. Van Deusen agrees that prior notification
could work well as long as that notice is well ahead of the transport.
©The Independent 2004
Thanks, Sheree, for bringing this article to our attention.