An approach to selecting routes over which to transport excess salt from the Deaf Smith County Site

This report presents an approach to be utilized in the identification of rail and/or highway routes for the disposal of waste salt and other salt contaminated material from repository construction. Relevant issues regarding salt transport also are identified. The report identifies a sequence of activities that precede actual route selection, i.e., final selection of a salt disposal method and its location, refined estimates of salt shipment volume and schedule, followed by selection of rail or truck or a combination thereof, as the preferred transport mode. After these factors are known, the route selection process can proceed. Chapter 2.0 of this report identifies directives and requirements that potentially could affect salt transport from the Deaf Smith site. A summary of salt disposal alternatives and reference cases is contained in Chapter 3.0. Chapter 4.0 identifies and discusses current methods of salt handling and transport in the United States, and also provides some perspective as to the volume of excess salt to be transported from the Deaf Smith site relative to current industry practices. Chapter 5.0 identifies an approach to the salt transportation issue, and suggests one system for evaluating alternative highway routes for truck shipments