Senate bill would impose fees on nuclear waste shipping.

Intro: State Senators agree the amount of nuclear waste being shipped through the state needs to decrease.

Allison Blood has more from Jefferson City.

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The senate unanimously approved a measure that would impose fees to shippers of nuclear waste.

Boone County Democratic Senator Kurt Schaefer introduced the bill because he said he didn't want Missourians to pay the fees associated with federal standards for shipping waste.

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Description: For example we are seeing shipments that would otherwise go down highway 80 north of us and go through Iowa. They will actually divert, come down and go through Missouri to avoid paying those fees in the state of Iowa.

On Wednesday, an amendment was added to increase safety standards for those working with nuclear waste.

Shipping companies would be required to provide personal radiation monitors for railroad employees when they travel through the state.

The Senate will vote on the bill next week.

From the State Capitol, I'm Allison Blood.

Intro: While Missouri legislators are debating the addition of another nuclear power plant in the state, Senators agree there should be less nuclear waste being shipped through the state.

Allison Blood has more from Jefferson City.

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The bill would impose a fee to nuclear waste shipping companies that ship waste through Missouri.

The bill's sponsor, Boone County Democratic Senator Kurt Schaefer said it would also keep Missouri competitive with other states.

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Description: But I think we are one of the only states left in the Midwest that does not collect the fees associated with the cost the state incurs to follow these shipments as they go through the state.

He said the bill will also cut down on the number of shipments from companies that choose to ship waste through Missouri in order to avoid fees in other states.

An amendment to the bill requires the companies to provide personal radiation monitors to rail workers who travel with the waste through Missouri.

From the State Capitol, I'm Allison Blood.

Intro: An effort to reduce the amount of nuclear waste shipped through the state met no opposition in the Senate.

Allison Blood has more from Jefferson City.

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A bill imposing fees on nuclear waste shipping companies faced no opposition in the Senate on Wednesday.

Boone County Democratic Senator Kurt Schaefer sponsored the bill because he said he doesn't want Missourians to pay the costs associated with federal regulations regarding shipping of the waste.

Schaefer said Missouri is one of the only states in the Midwest that does not impose these fees, which causes companies to ship through Missouri.

The measure also adds provisions for the safety of rail workers who travel with the nuclear waste.

Shipping companies would be required to provide personal radiation monitors which measure the amount of radiation workers are exposed to.

From the State Capitol, I'm Allison Blood.