Communication, collaboration, coordination, and consultation are the keys to effective transportation planning for all radiological and nuclear waste transportation campaigns at a local, state, regional and national level. Regional planning for the shipment of nuclear waste began in the western United States and has spread across the nation.
Colorado works closely with the following agencies on developing the transportation plans and public information outreach for a number of radiological and nuclear waste campaigns in addition to those destined to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant:
- Department of Energy (USDOE) Environmental Management
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Argonne National Laboratory
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration
- Office of Safety, Infrastructure, and Operations provided funding for the transuranic waste shipments from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to WIPP
- Office of Secure Transportation
- Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program
- Off-Site Source Recovery Project
- Material Management and Minimization
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, University shipments of spent nuclear fuel
Chronologically from present to past:
September 2020 marks an important milestone as shipments of transuranic waste began again from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California to the WIPP via Colorado. Once they arrived at the Fort Collins Port of Entry they underwent a rigorous Commercial vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Level VI inspection by the Colorado State Patrol.
2004 - Empty RFETS tanks to Energy Solutions, Utah.
2009 - Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program shipped spent naval nuclear fuel via rail to the Idaho National Laboratories.
Photo courtesy of the US Dept. of Energy
2013- Los Alamos National Laboratory transuranic waste shipment to Idaho National Laboratory
Return to main Colorado WIPP Program page.
Return to main Nuclear Materials Transportation Oversight page.