H 4923 Resolution, By C.Y. Waites, R.A. Barber, Cobb-Hunter, J.H. Hodges, 
K.G. Kempe, H.H. Keyserling, S.G. Manly, J.T. McElveen and T.F. Rogers
 A House Resolution to express the opposition of the House of Representatives
 to the use of the Savannah River site for storage of the country's intensely
 radioactive nuclear bomb cores.

   06/03/92  House  Introduced HJ-29
   06/03/92  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-29

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS THE OPPOSITION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE USE OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE FOR STORAGE OF THE COUNTRY'S INTENSELY RADIOACTIVE NUCLEAR BOMB CORES.

Whereas, the United States Department of Energy is now considering storage at the Savannah River Site of nearly one thousand nuclear bomb cores composed mainly of plutonium, the most toxic substance on earth; and

Whereas, the Governor of the State of Georgia has already informed the United States Department of Energy that he objects to the storage of the additional large quantities of plutonium at the Savannah River Site; and

Whereas, South Carolina was asked by the United States Department of Energy to provide by May 1, 1992, its position on the storage of additional plutonium at the Savannah River Site; and

Whereas, South Carolina has not yet stated to the United States Department of Energy its position on the storage of additional plutonium at the Savannah River Site; and

Whereas, plutonium will remain dangerously radioactive for at least twenty-four thousand years; and

Whereas, the United States Department of Energy has provided no public explanation of its future plans for the plutonium being proposed for storage at the Savannah River Site, including a description of all potential options for future processing of the materials, as well as their plans for the permanent disposition of plutonium; and

Whereas, South Carolina already stores one-third of the nation's high-level radioactive defense wastes at the Savannah River Site; and

Whereas, South Carolina already stores the majority of the entire country's low-level nuclear waste, and our role as the country's major low-level nuclear dumping ground is likely to continue and increase in the immediate future; and

Whereas, South Carolina has worked more diligently and made more sacrifices than any other state in keeping the Southeast Compact process going; and

Whereas, the United States Department of Energy has not yet completed its own recommended program of safety upgrades at the Savannah River Site; and

Whereas, tritium releases into the Savannah River from the Savannah River Site have caused economic harm to individuals, businesses, and water authorities located downstream of the Savannah River Site, and these parties have never been adequately compensated by the federal government; and

Whereas, the K-reactor at the Savannah River Site continues to have new tritium leaks; and

Whereas, South Carolina's image as the nation's nuclear dumping ground is harmful to attraction of business, industry, tourists, and retirees; and

Whereas, it is time to tell the rest of the United States that South Carolina will no longer acquiesce in continuing to serve as the nation's nuclear dumping ground. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, expresses its opposition to the use of the Savannah River Site for storage of the country's intensely radioactive nuclear bomb cores.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.