News Release 286
Missouri to begin charging fee for hauling radioactive material through state
Volume 37-286 (For Immediate Release)
Contact: Renee Bungart
573-751-4465
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUG. 28, 2009 --Shippers of radioactive materials will now be assessed a fee for bringing those loads through Missouri, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.
The fee, which went into effect today, will be used to cover costs incurred by state agencies in activities related to the shipments, such as inspections, providing security escorts and other oversight and planning activities to reduce potential environmental and public safety risks. It was approved by the legislature this spring as part of House Bill 683, which was signed by Gov. Jay Nixon July 1.
Missouri joins six other Midwestern states charging such fees. The others are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio. Fees vary based on the type of radioactive material being shipped and the distance it is travelling within the state. Some types of shipments are exempt.
Shipments of highly radioactive material would pay $1,800 for each cask shipped by truck, plus a surcharge of $25 per mile for every mile over 200 miles traveled within the state. This includes all high-level radioactive waste, transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel or highway route controlled quantity shipments.
Rail shipments of highly radioactive material would pay $1300 for the first cask and $125 for each additional cask. The rail fee would apply to the same type of shipments as the high-level truck shipments. Low-level shipments would pay $125 for each truck or train moving in or through the state.
A number of types of shipments are exempted from paying fees under this statute:
- Shipments from Missouri university reactors pay for actual escort costs only.
- Military shipments of radioactive wastes.
- Low-level shipments of naturally occurring material that would be accepted in a Missouri landfill.
- Low-level radioactive wastes with a half-life of 120 days or less.
- Shipment of sealed sources meeting the definition of low-level waste.
- Highway route controlled quantity shipments of 30 miles or less in Missouri.
- Shipments of low-level waste of 50 miles or less from the point of origin.
Shippers of radioactive materials with questions concerning the fee can contact Jane Beetem at 573-751-3195. Fees should be sent to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 477, Jefferson City, MO 65102, at least seven calendar days prior to the shipment entering the state.
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