1-1 By: Walker (Senate Sponsor - Duncan) H.C.R. No. 202 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997; 1-3 May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 International Relations, Trade, and Technology; May 17, 1997, 1-5 reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; 1-6 May 17, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-7 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-8 WHEREAS, Compliance with international disarmament treaties 1-9 to curtail the proliferation of nuclear arms and defuse weapons of 1-10 mass destruction has created new challenges for the United States 1-11 related to the dismantling and cleanup of nuclear missiles; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The development, production, and disassembling of 1-13 nuclear weapons produce transuranic waste, a highly radioactive 1-14 conglomeration of contaminated laboratory gloves, tools, dried 1-15 sludge, and other substances from testing and production 1-16 facilities; and 1-17 WHEREAS, To create a safe and environmentally responsible 1-18 method for permanently disposing of transuranic waste, the United 1-19 States Department of Energy (DOE) has designed the Waste Isolation 1-20 Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southern New Mexico that will set the 1-21 standard for deep geologic disposal of defense-related radioactive 1-22 waste; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The transuranic waste to be deposited at the WIPP 1-24 facility will be shipped by truck from all across the country, 1-25 travelling through many states, including Texas, which is a major 1-26 thoroughfare for radioactive materials coming from South Carolina, 1-27 Tennessee, Illinois, and Ohio; and 1-28 WHEREAS, While a majority of the proposed route through Texas 1-29 is on Interstate 20, a segment runs along U.S. Highway 285; this 1-30 portion of the route, which begins in Pecos, Texas, and continues 1-31 into New Mexico, is a treacherous and narrow two-lane road; and 1-32 WHEREAS, The State of New Mexico, in a prudent move to 1-33 protect the public safety of its citizens, has dedicated part of 1-34 the impact funds received from the DOE for housing the WIPP to 1-35 widen its section of U.S. 285; this highway is a dangerous and 1-36 inadequate road that has already been the scene of one accident 1-37 involving an empty WIPP transport truck; and 1-38 WHEREAS, There are currently no federal funds allocated for 1-39 the State of Texas to take the same necessary safety precautions by 1-40 widening the section of U.S. 285 running through our state; the 1-41 health and safety of United States citizens residing in the Lone 1-42 Star State is no less important than that of our neighbors to the 1-43 northwest; now, therefore, be it 1-44 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-45 hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States to 1-46 allocate funds for road expansion in Texas along the designated 1-47 route for transporting hazardous waste to the WIPP project; and, be 1-48 it further 1-49 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 1-50 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 1-51 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 1-52 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the 1-53 Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 1-54 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 1-55 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. 1-56 * * * * *