Stop the Bomb Train

An environmental disaster in the making could start as soon as September according to the Buffalo News. Rather than telling us the truth about this mess, they decide to “be objective” and tell “both sides” of the story and let the reader make up their own mind.

There is one side to this story – this is a bad idea. Putting nuclear waste – some of it weapons grade – into shipping containers (basically) and sending it by rail from Michigan, through Canada, across the Peace Bridge, through impoverished communities until it reaches a processing plant in South Carolina that can do nothing to reduce the radioactivity or volatility of the material is just plain … you choose your own word for “stupid” here.

Seriously? They want to ship the most toxic material ever made by mankind, save anything Donald Trump says, via train how far? And through what areas?

First: They are transporting liquid radioactive waste. This includes weapons grade enriched uranium, as well as radioactive isotopes of cesium, strontium, plutonium, and others unlisted. Look at the health effects of these deadly isotopes and you'll know why the others are not listed. They are probably worse or more dangerous.

Second: Weapons grade materials? How much military security are they putting on these trains and as escorts? Right in the newspaper too. Any terrorist would just love to know that information.

Third: They are shipping it over the Peace Bridge. Imagine something going wrong on the bridge and the waste getting into the Great Lakes. There goes fishing on the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. And swimming in the lake. Kiss the local tourism industry goodbye.

Fourth: Pull out a map of railroads in the region and look at where they run. First this waste would go through poor urban areas that have a high minority population. Not nice upscale Amherst, Williamsville, or Clarence. Poor urban areas.

They they run through the rural communities that provide our local food. Like the grown locally signs in Tops, Wegmans, Dash's, and other stores? The government wants to ship highly toxic nuclear waste through those areas.

And don't look at the half-life of those radioactive isotopes. In the event of a spill, people won't be living or growing food in those areas for quite a long time. I don't even want to speculate the impact on the Niagara River or Lake Ontario.

And the water table in the rural areas. Can the scientists and military guarantee that in the event of a spill that the water will not be affected? I'm not going to hold my breath. (I'll need an oxygen tank and a mask according to my sister that works for OSHA. Off the record, she says this idea is asinine.)

Fifth: The local first responders have been or are being trained in safety measures and precautions to take in the event of a spill. Somehow I don't think that my local volunteer fire department is going to be the best group of people to handle a nuclear spill. House fire? Yes. Field fire? Seen them do it. Yes. Barn fire? Yes. (Heard plenty of stories. And one guy led out horses rather calmly.)Nuclear waste?  Let's leave that to the full time, highly paid professionals.

Transporting material this volatile requires professionals that are ready to go immediately when the accident happens. Not within thirty minutes (or less) of the call going out.

Sixth: Why are we creating this deadly material in the first place? No one is asking that question. We know it is deadly, toxic, and uncontrollable one out in the open. Look at Fukushima, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island. (From what I have heard, it was worse than we were told.) And we have no need or use for it. (Unless you listen to my conspiracy theory minded friend that talks about how aliens are producing something and need these isotopes. I wish they would lay off those funny smelling cigarettes. They smell like burned rope. And they are not allowed on my property or in my house. Even in brownie form.)

This is a hair brained idea that is going to turn out bad in some way, shape, manner, or form.

Socialists support those that are opposed to the bomb trains, or mobile Chernobyls as they are nicknamed.

This is an environmental disaster that is waiting to happen and the only successful way to deal with it is to prevent it from happening at all.