Farrell Fights Nuclear Waste Transport

By Stephen M. Silverman

06/04/2002 at 12:07 PM EDT

Current "Providence" and former "M*A*S*H" actor and longtime activist Mike Farrell lobbied in Washington Tuesday to stop Congress from allowing 77,000 tons of nuclear waste to be shipped through 44 states to what would become the world's largest nuclear waste dump at the earthquake-prone Yucca Mountain in Utah, reports PEOPLE. "It makes no sense at all to transport deadly nuclear waste across country and dump it at Yucca Mountain," said Farrell, 63. Though he went alone to the Capitol, Farrell carried with him a letter of protest signed by more than 70 Hollywood stars -- including Alec Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Rob Reiner, Bonnie Raitt and Tim Robbins -- urging lawmakers to oppose the plan, which passed the House last month. The Senate will vote on the controversial plan in early July and, reports The Washington Post in Tuesday's edition, nuclear power lobbyists lined up enough votes to make passage likely -- unless Farrell and his troops succeed. "This is the 11th hour," Farrell said. "I don't think citizens want this dangerous, thoughtless plan to go forward." The actor, who plays veterinarian Jim Hansen on NBC's series "Providence," said the Department of Energy can't ensure the safety of the cross-country nuclear shipments. "Transporting 77,000 tons of deadly nuclear waste over our railways, highways and waterways through 44 states and the District of Columbia presents the potential for a disaster of astonishing proportions. A crash or terrorist attack involving even one of these shipments could be catastrophic."