Senate Resolution 988
By: Senators Orrock of the 36th, Harrell of the 40th, Anderson of the 43rd, Davenport of the
17th, Mangham of the 55th and others
A RESOLUTION
Urging the United States Congress to cancel the proposed plutonium pit plant at the United
States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the name of the Savannah River Plant was changed to the Savannah River Site
(SRS), and the mission of the SRS changed from producing plutonium for nuclear weapons
to radioactive waste management and environmental cleanup; and
WHEREAS, the SRS contains the largest amount of radioactivity in waste of any nuclear
weapons site in the United States, including approximately 35,000,000 gallons of
radioactively contaminated industrial waste solvents in aging underground tanks that are
stranded for treatment at the SRS; and
WHEREAS, the DOE (United States Department of Energy) and NNSA (National Nuclear
Security Agency) have not had a factory to produce plutonium triggers since the shutdown
of Rocky Flats in 1989 and have made multiple efforts to site a plutonium pit production
plant at the SRS since 1989; and
WHEREAS, the NNSA is currently drafting a Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement of its intent to construct a Plutonium Pit Production Facility at the SRS; and
WHEREAS, a public comment period including public hearings will be held to record public
comments on the draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on plutonium pit
production at the SRS in 2026; and
WHEREAS, plutonium pit production is subject to fires, explosions, worker exposures, and
plutonium and radiation contamination of the environment; and
WHEREAS, plutonium is a primarily manmade element with a radioactive half-life of
24,000 years and is strongly associated with increased deaths due to cancer among
occupationally exposed people; and
WHEREAS, the Savannah River and its watershed are a vital natural resource to the people
of the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, the Georgia counties of Burke, Screven, Effingham, and Chatham are on the
banks of the Savannah River directly downstream from the SRS, and radionuclides from the
SRS have been found in Georgia water, soil, vegetation, air, milk, fish, and wildlife.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body
urge the United States Congress and the Georgia delegation to immediately cancel the
proposed plutonium pit production facility at the Savannah River Site.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the
press.