Image: Trailer hauling nuclear waste

UPDATE 8-11: The transport vehicle arrived in Bishop Wednesday night and is now parked just to the north of Eastern Sierra Motors.  CHP Officer Roberts said the rig is scheduled to depart tonight (Thursday) around 8pm.

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Officials assure that the low-level nuclear waste transport headed up Highway 395 to Inyo County towns will not adversely affect the public.  According to Southern California Edison’s Gil Alexander, “There is no risk to the public.”  Local California Highway Patrol Officer Laura Roberts agreed.  She said that CHP information says even if someone stood next to the truck for an hour, the radiation would equal that of a dental X-ray.

The unusual transport, a 400-foot truck that carries tons of low-level radioactive steam generator parts, had made it to the Pearsonville area as of today, Wednesday.  The load will go up 395 to Highway 6 and on to Clive, Utah and a nuclear waste dump.

CHP Officer Roberts said that the CHP would probably pick up the transport Wednesday night, get it to Lone Pine or further and stop.  CHP Division officers were expected to come to the area Thursday to escort the rig to the Wye Road area of Bishop where, like other much smaller trucks, the transport would park and remain for 24 hours,leaving Wye Road Saturday.  Roberts explained that various complications could alter the schedule.

This has been called a massive production and the first of four such transports from San Onofre to Utah that will take place through the end of the year.  The next transport may head through the Eastern Sierra in September.  Southern California Edison is handling the transports which will mostly take place at night.

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