Date Posted:22:26:38 01/16/01 Tue Author:Lou deBottari Subject: Hazardous material transportation next to rivers
1/16/2001
Dear Editor,
Your editorial in the January 12 publication, titled “DFG needs adequate response time, equipment in rural areas” suggest one method to minimize the damage from a spill.
In the late 80’s and through the 90’s I owned the Mountain Gate Lodge on the West Walker River. During that time I was very concerned about the impact of a spill into the river. There were a few spills of materials that fortunately were not dangerous to the habitat. In one case it was paper goods that made the riverbanks look like a garbage pit. The owner of that truck spent an entire summer picking up the paper goods. In another case it was a beer truck. In the mid nineties a truck carrying a hazard material rolled in the Walker Canyon and some of the barrels rolled down the bank and luckily did not enter the water. It took hours for the Haz-Mat team, from Reno, to arrive and remove the barrels. The Game Warden could only watch the barrels from a distance.
I feel that spending money to prepare for an accident that can cause significant damage to the river attacks the problem from the wrong end. In the 90’s I attempted to get the State Legislature to amend the requirements when materials that are hazardous to the river are transported in the vicinity of the river I suggested that a pilot car be required when traveling along the route. Most accidents in the canyon are either due to the driver falling asleep and or speed. A pilot truck would help both the speed and the sleep problem by talking to the driver and maintain a safe speed. The additional cost of transportation is minimal when compared to the cost of re-storing the Eco system of the river.
I had staff people on the transportation committee interested, The head of the Highway Patrol was against it and local government officials did not want to take a position. Of course the Trucking industry was totally against it. Fish and Game would not take a position. It is a shame that we are willing to spend money to clean up a mess but are not interested in reducing the chance of ever having a spill.
Lets fix the problem by reducing the possibility of a spill ever happening in the vicinity of a river or lake.
Lou deBottari
1820 Citadel Circle
Carson City, NV 89703.
