Tools to Evaluate Transportation Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness on Potential Radioactive Materials Shipment Routes

An important consideration for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in planning for the movement of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from commercial reactor sites and other locations where radioactive waste is being stored is the identification and evaluation of feasible transportation modes and routes in proximity to a shipment origin. This can prove challenging as shipment origins are often located in areas where the transportation infrastructure may have size and weight limitations, may be in need of refurbishment, or may be subject to radioactive materials route restrictions. Additionally, although highly unlikely, in the event of an accident or incident during the transport of radioactive material, it is important that qualified emergency responders are able to arrive at the scene in a timely manner. DOE has developed and is utilizing the Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation (START) to address these considerations. START is supporting DOE’s efforts to collect and assess data about near-shipping-site transportation infrastructure, in anticipation that this information will be used in estimating infrastructure refurbishment needs and costs, recording known or potential route clearance challenges, and communicating about site-specific routing considerations. DOE is also using START to evaluate emergency response coverage on potential transport routes. This enables DOE to identify locations where radiological emergency response training may be needed in order to provide adequate coverage along the entire transport route of interest. This paper and presentation will describe in greater detail the data, features and functionality within START to support the evaluation of transportation infrastructure and emergency preparedness on potential radioactive shipment routes, and will illustrate its use in performing these assessments.