Congressman Brian Higgins recently won unanimous support in Congress for a measure requiring the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a terrorism threat assessment on the transportation of chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological materials in the United States.
Higgins sponsored the measure after learning highly enriched liquid uranium is slated to cross the Peace Bridge next year while en route from Ontario to South Carolina.
Congressman Chris Collins backed Higgins on the measure, noting public safety is of the highest concern.
"Congressman Higgins and I both want assurances that every potential situation has been analyzed, has been covered, that there will be effectively no risk to Western New Yorkers," says Collins. "We're going to make sure that happens before any materials get transported through our part of the country."
Higgins has released a written statement noting the route the shipment will take next year crosses the Niagara River, accessing 95-percent of the surface fresh water in the U.S. He argues an attack, or even an accident, would have catastrophic consequences.