SPOKANE, Wash. — In a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Washington, Mayor Lisa Brown voiced her strong opposition to plans that would transport millions of gallons of hazardous waste through Spokane.
According to a press release from the City of Spokane, the hazardous waste, originating from the Hanford Nuclear Site, is scheduled for shipment in liquid form to facilities in Texas and Utah. Mayor Brown said that if an initial transport of 2,000 gallons is deemed successful, plans are in place to send millions more through Spokane by rail or truck.
The decision to route the shipments through Spokane followed concerns raised by partners in Oregon about the risks associated with trucking hazardous materials through their communities.
“I am extremely disappointed to learn that, following the expression of serious concerns by our friends from the State of Oregon and the [Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation], your agencies shifted your planned route to go through Spokane,” Mayor Brown said.
In the press release, the mayor further criticized the lack of an updated Environmental Impact Statement and the absence of consultation with Spokane’s Office of Emergency Management and local first responders.
Mayor Brown said that the proposed plan poses unacceptable risks to Spokane, particularly as both rail and truck traffic would travel through the downtown area over high bridges and elevated viaducts.
“Furthermore, the communities closest to the interstate and rail corridors in our city are ones that have already borne the weight of historic discrimination and disinvestment. The potential negative consequences of this plan would disproportionately impact some of our most marginalized communities,” Mayor Brown said. “On behalf of the citizens of Spokane, and in defense of our beautiful natural spaces and vibrant urban setting, I urge you to reconsider this decision.”
