Attorney General Jay Nixon has brought the lawsuit against the state Department of Natural Resources to stop the state from relinquishing control of the bridge.

Circuit judge Robert Koffman says since he is an appointee of Governor Matt Blunt and, therefore, indirectly linked with the DNR, he will step aside and let another judge hear the case.

It is up to the state Supreme Court to find a replacement.

DNR Prepares for Radioactive Waste Transport

The DNR has also given local emergency response teams special notice about trucks that will be traveling through Missouri carrying low-level radioactive waste.

The Boone County Special Operations Bureau and the Columbia Fire Department are responsible for containing any possible wrecks and minimizing possible damage in local areas.

Assistant Chief of the Special Operations Bureau Doug Westhoff says his team is ready for the trucks to come through.

We're pretty comfortable with the situation and we appreciate the early warning and the advanced notice on what's moving through. That just helps our folks understand the product out there.

The trucks carrying the hazardous wastes will be traveling on repeated trips from Ohio to Utah through Missouri along I-70 the trips will last through September. © Copyright 2012, KBIA