SR 988: U.S. Congress; to cancel the proposed plutonium pit plant at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site; urge

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.