Long Beach : Fuel-Rod Plans Unclear

Whether the Department of Energy still plans to ship highly radioactive nuclear waste through the Port of Long Beach remained unclear this week.

In the aftermath of the port’s announcement Friday that it would not allow 18 shipments of spent nuclear fuel rods to be unloaded, Mayor Ernie Kell received a letter--also dated Friday--from the Department of Energy that reiterated the department’s position that it has a legal right to route the cargo through the port.

When shipping toxic materials, such as the nuclear fuel rods, federal regulations “preempt state or local regulations which are found to be inconsistent,” the Energy Department letter said.

The letter does not mention, however, the port’s refusal to unload the nuclear rods. And a spokesman for the Energy Department said this week that the letter was prepared without considering the port’s stand. The department still had not decided if it would ship the rods through Long Beach in the face of port opposition, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the City Council expressed its unity in supporting the Harbor Department’s position and scheduled a strategy session with City Atty. John Calhoun for Tuesday.

And on Monday, representatives of more than a dozen local organizations formed the Coalition for a Safe Harbor to oppose the proposed nuclear shipments.