[ RadSafe ] Tennessee Chamber Action Alert: Bills Targeting Waste Industry

[Debra McCroskey]

Tennessee Chamber Action Alert: 

Bills Targeting Waste Industry Approved by Senate Committee

Three bills -- SB 2801 by Senator Marrero (HB 2911 by Rep. Gilmore) and
SB 2735 by Senator Berke (HB 2826 by Rep. Cobb) and SB 3221 by Senator
Herron (HB 3402 by Rep. Mike Turner) - are all designed to ban Tennessee
companies from using scientifically approved and safe processing or
disposal of waste containing low levels of radioactivity.   Not only
will it impact the companies that do the processing and disposal, it
will impact manufacturers, medical facilities, power companies, water
companies that rely on the services provided for the low-level wastes.
The Tennessee Chamber OPPOSES these bills.

 Tennessee is fortunate to have experienced and licensed industries
which properly process and handle wastes containing safe low levels of
radioactivity.  All companies in Tennessee are processing, packaging,
and treating in compliance with state laws.  These wastes are then
disposed in properly designed and permitted landfills in the state or
shipped out-of-state for approved disposal. The state of Tennessee is
responsible for monitoring and enforcing the laws to assure compliance
for safety and protection of our citizens and our environment.  The
Tennessee Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Solid Waste Disposal
Control Board have reviewed extensively the types of wastes which can be
properly and safely disposed in Tennessee landfills.  Legislation
prohibiting these safe practices is unnecessary and harmful to the
Tennessee's economy. 

SB 2801 (HB 2911), in its current form, prohibits the disposal of BSFR
(Bulk Survey for Disposal) processed wastes in Tennessee approved
landfills.  SB 3221 (HB 3402) would make it illegal to accept, process
or dispose of any radioactive wastes material in any landfill. SB 2735
(HB 2926) was amended in committee to prohibit a particular type of
processing (blending) from being conducted at any properly and fully
licensed processing facility in Tennessee.  The prohibition will prevent
Tennessee industries from using a process which is permitted by the
federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and duly licensed by the
state Division of Radiological Health. Such a prohibition should not be
enacted into law.  

Tennessee's processing industries provide very vital, technical, and
highly scientific services for our power and water utilities and medical
facilities in the state as well as across the nation.  These processing
industries have demonstrated their expertise and commitment to comply
with the law and their respective licenses as the state Division of
Radiological Health and the federal NRC provide responsible oversight
and enforcement.

For the above facts, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry urges
a vote of "NO" on each of these bills as they are presented before
committees this week or in the balance of the session.


Debra McCroskey, CHP