increase in the number of high-level nuclear waste shipments. To this end, FRA developed the Safety Compliance Oversight Plan For Transportation of High-Level Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel. The Safety Compliance Oversight Plan (SCOP) sets forth FRA’s policy to address the safety of rail shipments of SNF and HLRW. There are several DOE initiatives involving the shipment of SNF and HLRW by rail. One of these initiatives is the Foreign Research Reactor Fuel (FRRF) program. This program was initiated by the DOE and the Department of State to support the President’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation policy. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation policy focus is to prevent increases in the amount of weapons’ grade nuclear material that currently exists in the global domain. This material could potentially be used in the making of nuclear weapons and, therefore, the policy reduces the risk of this type of nuclear material being obtained and used in a manner detrimental to the health and welfare of the world populace. The FRRF program presently includes rail shipments from the Charleston Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, South Carolina, to DOE’s Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina, and from the Concord Naval Weapons Station in Concord, California, to DOE’s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) in southeastern Idaho. Another important DOE initiative involves the shipment and storage of commercial SNF from nuclear power plants in the United States. Under this initiative, SNF from nuclear power plants throughout the country will be shipped by rail either to a DOE interim storage facility or to a permanent geologic repository in Nevada. FRA may apply the basic principles and major elements of the SCOP to other existing and future rail shipments involving HLRW and SNF, as necessary and appropriate. Development of the SCOP involved a coordinated effort between FRA, DOE, the Association of American Railroads (AAR), railroad labor organizations, and representatives of affected States. FRA wishes to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of its safety partners whose insight and wisdom were instrumental in formulating the policies and procedures that are incorporated into the SCOP. It must be emphasized that the SCOP is a living document that has evolved from 40 years of accumulated experience regarding the safe movement of nuclear materials by rail. FRA will continue to work in partnership with the rail community to periodically review, evaluate and update the SCOP to keep pace with the latest developments and technologies involving the safe transportation of nuclear materials. A sound and meaningful safety partnership involving all elements of the railroad community is absolutely essential for maintaining the highest degree of safety for railroad shipments of SNF and HLRW and for maintaining public confidence in our nation’s nuclear materials transportation program.
Summary of the SCOP:
In developing the SCOP, FRA has revised its previous policy to include the following safety enhancements in planning, inspection, training, and oversight activity areas:
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