SR988: SR988 U.S. Congress; to cancel the proposed plutonium pit plant at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site; urge

26 LC 112 3881 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 United1 States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, the name of the Savannah River Plant was changed to the Savannah River Site3 (SRS), and the mission of the SRS changed from producing plutonium for nuclear weapons4 to radioactive waste management and environmental cleanup; and5 WHEREAS, the SRS contains the l argest amount of radioactivity in waste of any nuclear6 weapons site in the United States, including approximately 35,0 00,000 gallons of7 radioactively contaminated industrial waste solvents in aging u nderground tanks that are8 stranded for treatment at the SRS; and9 WHEREAS, the DOE (United States Department of Energy) and NNSA (National Nuclear10 Security Agency) have not had a factory to produce plutonium triggers since the shutdown11 of Rocky Flats in 1989 and have made multiple efforts to site a plutonium pit production12 plant at the SRS since 1989; and13 WHEREAS, the NNSA is currently drafting a Programmatic Environm ental Impact14 Statement of its intent to construct a Plutonium Pit Production Facility at the SRS; and15 S. R. 988 - 1 - 26 LC 112 3881 WHEREAS, a public comment period including public hearings will be held to record public16 comments on the draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Stateme nt on plutonium pit17 production at the SRS in 2026; and18 WHEREAS, plutonium pit production is subject to fires, explosions, worker exposures, and19 plutonium and radiation contamination of the environment; and20 WHEREAS, plutonium is a primarily manmade element with a radioa ctive half-life of21 24,000 years and is strongly associated with increased deaths d ue to cancer among22 occupationally exposed people; and23 WHEREAS, the Savannah River and its watershed are a vital natural resource to the people24 of the State of Georgia; and25 WHEREAS, the Georgia counties of Burke, Screven, Effingham, and Chatham are on the26 banks of the Savannah River directly downstream from the SRS, and radionuclides from the27 SRS have been found in Georgia water, soil, vegetation, air, milk, fish, and wildlife.28 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body29 urge the United States Congress and the Georgia delegation to i mmediately cancel the30 proposed plutonium pit production facility at the Savannah River Site.31 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed32 to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the33 press.34 S. R. 988 - 2 -