Say No To Plutonium Transport Through L.A.

The Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) claim that plutonium shipments are “safe.” But history tells us otherwise.

By Leah Yananton, LA Progressive

Angelinos are facing another threat to our health, safety, and even to our National Security, from our own government’s plan to restart the production of plutonium bomb cores, called “plutonium pit production” (like the “pit” of a peach). While the manufacturing will occur at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, Los Angeles will also be affected. When the plutonium is transported via trucks from Los Alamos to Lawrence Livermore National Lab in the Bay Area, where new nuclear warheads are being made, the truck will pass through Downtown Los Angeles as it will get on the 5 Highway.

Plutonium is one of the most dangerous substances known to humanity. Even microscopic exposure can cause cancer, birth defects, and long-term environmental contamination of water, air, and soil for 100,000 years. If a truck carrying this material were to be involved in an accident, spill, or even targeted by bad actors, the consequences would be catastrophic. A single breach of containment could expose millions of Angelenos to radiation. If such a tragedy were to occur, Los Angeles could become contaminated and uninhabitable until an extensive and very expensive cleanup could occur.

Livermore Lab is planning to increase its plutonium work to hasten the development of the new W87-1 warhead for the Sentinel ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), which will controversially replace 400 nuclear-armed Minuteman III ICBM’s currently in the stockpile, with a cost estimate approaching 2 trillion dollars. This needless new production is not just a waste of resources, but also a reckless endangerment of millions of lives now and in future generations.

Public comment is currently open through March 3rd on the scoping of the Environmental Impact Statement for “Enhanced Plutonium Utilization” at Livermore Lab. Anyone can submit a comment opposing this plan, and its associated dangerous increase in shipments of plutonium through greater Los Angeles. Comments can also request that the government analyze potential impacts of a release of plutonium in downtown Los Angeles from one of these trucks. Comments can be emailed to LLNLSEIS@nnsa.doe.gov or via Phone message to 1-833-778-0508.Check Livermore-based Tri-Valley CAREs website for more info and other potential talking points for comments on this plan. www.trivalleycares.org

The Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) claim that plutonium shipments are “safe.” But history tells us otherwise. Accidents happen. In 2014, a leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico caused a radiological release, exposing workers to contamination and shutting down operations for years. Do we really want to take this kind of risk on the busiest highways in America?

Instead of new nuclear weapons, let us work for a world where we have global nuclear disarmament, and invest our dollars and the brilliant minds of our engineers and soldiers into building a peace economy, where we keep our natural resources healthy for generations to come, and where human well-being is valued above profits from war

Leah Yananton is a teacher, and a filmmaker and writer, with attention on biosphere dynamics, human connection, indigenous stewardship, nuclear disarmament, and the peace economy.