SF 2617

as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; requiring the commissioner 
  1.3             of transportation to evaluate and report on the 
  1.4             state's readiness for increased transportation of 
  1.5             high-level radioactive waste. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [TRANSPORT OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE; 
  1.8   READINESS EVALUATION.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [INITIAL REPORT.] (a) By January 15, 1999, 
  1.10  the commissioner of transportation, in consultation with the 
  1.11  environmental quality board and the commissioners of public 
  1.12  service and public safety, shall report to the chairs of the 
  1.13  house and senate committees with jurisdiction over 
  1.14  transportation finance and policy issues, energy issues, and 
  1.15  environmental issues.  The report shall detail the measures the 
  1.16  state is taking to prepare for an increase in the amount of 
  1.17  high-level radioactive waste that will be transported through 
  1.18  and from the state upon the opening of a federal high-level 
  1.19  radioactive waste depository.  In addition, the report shall 
  1.20  contain an initial evaluation of the state's readiness for the 
  1.21  increased transport of this waste. 
  1.22     (b) To the extent feasible in the time allowed, the 
  1.23  commissioner of transportation should include the following 
  1.24  specific issues with regard to the transport of high-level 
  1.25  radioactive waste in the report: 
  2.1      (1) state permitting or licensure of carriers; 
  2.2      (2) the development and implementation of training programs 
  2.3   for drivers and emergency response personnel; 
  2.4      (3) an inventory of available emergency response resources 
  2.5   in the state; 
  2.6      (4) public education programs; 
  2.7      (5) notification procedures for state and local officials 
  2.8   and residents along transport routes; 
  2.9      (6) procedures for the identification of appropriate 
  2.10  transport routes to maximize the safety of Minnesotans; 
  2.11     (7) accident scenarios and responses, including costs and 
  2.12  economic impacts of major accidents; 
  2.13     (8) estimates of wear and damage to roads and highways in 
  2.14  the state, including the costs to repair or mitigate the damage; 
  2.15     (9) appropriate fees to cover state and local costs of 
  2.16  preparing for transport; 
  2.17     (10) appropriate levels of bonding or indemnity insurance 
  2.18  commensurate with possible releases of nuclear material; and 
  2.19     (11) procedures for ensuring maximum cooperation and 
  2.20  coordination between federal, state, and local agencies and 
  2.21  officials in the development of integrated, comprehensive rules 
  2.22  and regulations for the transport of nuclear material. 
  2.23     Subd. 2.  [FINAL REPORT.] (a) By January 15, 2000, the 
  2.24  commissioner of transportation, in consultation with the 
  2.25  environmental quality board and the commissioners of public 
  2.26  safety and public service, shall issue a final report to the 
  2.27  chairs named in subdivision 1.  This final report shall complete 
  2.28  the readiness evaluation begun in the initial report and fully 
  2.29  address all of the issues listed in subdivision 1, paragraph 
  2.30  (b).  In addition, the commissioners and the board shall develop 
  2.31  and adopt recommendations to address any identified deficiencies 
  2.32  in the state's readiness for the increased transport of 
  2.33  high-level radioactive waste. 
  2.34     (b) Prior to adopting recommendations, the commissioners 
  2.35  and the board shall hold at least three public hearings on the 
  2.36  state's readiness.  Upon adoption of recommendations, the 
  3.1   commissioners and the board shall hold at least one public 
  3.2   hearing on the adopted recommendations.  The commissioner of 
  3.3   transportation shall incorporate a chapter addressing 
  3.4   significant public concerns raised in the hearings in the final 
  3.5   report.