Commissioners Approve Contracts for Studies on Alternative Routes for Nuclear Waste Rail Lines Through County.

By Dave Maxwell

   At Monday’s regularly scheduled meeting, Lincoln County Commissioners approved a proposal for two new studies looking at alternative routes through Dry Lake Valley, Cole Valley and Garden Valley, to be done by Resource Concepts Incorporated and Robison-Seidler Company. 

   Following lengthy discussion between the board and representatives of the two  agencies, by unanimous vote a contract of $182,827.50 was awarded to Robison-Seidler and $131,725 to Resource Concepts, with the understanding that Robison-Seidler (RS) is responsible for incorporating the separate studies into a larger, comprehensive document to present to the Department of Energy, the federal agency seeking to build a rail line through parts of Nevada to the planned Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste site. Commissioner Wade Poulsen was absent from the meeting.

   The need for additional studies was proposed because current planned DOE routes would have great impact on ranch permittees using Bureau of Land Management allotments. Commission Chairwoman Ronda Hornbeck explained that “the proposed DOE rail line on quite a few of those (allotments) cuts them in half…Sometimes the route would leave the grass on one side and the cattle on the other.” “That would have devastating effects on ranchers as cattle don’t willing cross railroad lines,” she said.

   The Commissioners are interested in having alternative routes studies done to seek areas through Lincoln County that would be less invasive to ranchers.

      Robison-Seidler’s task involves having their local representative’s continue to look for alternative routes and once identified, talk to the ranchers using those lands as to what they would think about having rail lines cross their grazing areas and where the lines could be placed that disturb things the least.

   Resource Concepts would deal with scientific questions to see what environmental issues might be involved and if the soil would be able to hold the weight of trains and their fully-loaded cargos.

   Commissioner Paul Matthews expressed his interest that the contracts needed to include the understanding that one of the two groups would prepare a final summary of the findings and be responsible for making the presentation to the DOE at the proper time.

   Resource Concepts and Robison-Seidler have had working relationships together for a number of years and Candice Jordon of RS, stated that the two studies could be done as “stand alone” projects and that RS would be willing to blend the two reports into a single draft to be presented to the Commissioners for their review and comment, and then prepare a final comprehensive instrument for the DOE.  

   In other action at the meeting, Commissioners approved the formation of a committee to create a five-year plan for the enhancement and operation of the telephone system for reporting emergencies in Lincoln County and possible ordinance to implement AB 122 for funding of the E9-1-1 system.