|
|
|
SOUTHERN ANTI-PLUTONIUM CAMPAIGN VICTORY |
|
The Savannah River Site is a sprawling defense industry complex of 310 square miles which processes and stores nuclear materials and which is attempting to clean up radioactive and hazardous wastes created during the last 50 years. From 1953 to 1988 SRS produced 36 metric tonnes of plutonium in five nuclear reactors. These reactors also produced large quantities of tritium. The site has two chemical separation plants, a heavy water extraction plant, a nuclear fuel and target fabrication plant, a tritium extraction plant, and several waste management operations. SRS is located in the South Carolina counties of Aiken and Barnwell. |
|
Jan. 22, 2021: Today, people living near the Savannah River Site participated in an historic day in the movement to eliminate nuclear weapons. Joining with scores of similar actions across the nation and around the world, local residents unfurled a 10-foot banner stating that "Nuclear Weapons Are Illegal." At midnight, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force, establishing in international ban on nuclear weapons.
|
|
May 18, 2020: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act - Section 102 42 U.S.C. 4332 DOE/NNSA must take a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to environmental impact on the human environment. The draft EIS posits two alternatives: 1) Proposed Action to repurpose the mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility into the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility to produce a minimum of 50 pits per year; and 2) No Action Alternative. Alternative number two is the only acceptable option. |
|
Aug. 12, 2019: We hereby request that The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration do a new EIS as
required under existing statutes and case law. NNSA’s pit production mission was emphasized as a national security imperative by the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. For many reasons, the argument for this mission can be
shown to be specious and ill-advised. On the other hand, if it were shown to be valid, it is a major action for which an Environmental Impact Statement would be required. International treaty obligations and U.S. law prohibit further development of atomic
weapons. The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty compels the United States to end nuclear weapons development.
|
|
July 25, 2019: Before proceeding with its environmental impact review, the US Department of Energy must do what should have been done decades ago; i.e., determine the public health impact of radioactive and toxic air pollutants from Savannah River Site in the Central Savannah River Area. There is an overarching reason for action: the specter of environmental injustice overshadows SRS.
|
|
Calls for Action to Protect Public Health
Aug. 20, 2013: The ATSDR’s public health assessment falls short in its analysis of offsite health impacts from the toxic air pollutants emitted from the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. In our report entitled Sow the Wind–Toxic Air Pollution from the Savannah River Site, we investigated the air toxics which are emitted from large and small smokestacks at SRS and how they interact to raise downwind pollution levels in Jackson, New Ellenton, Williston and other communities.
|
|
Sept. 4, 2012: For over a decade, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League has opposed the
reprocessing of plutonium as civilian nuclear power fuel because it presents
unsupportable risks to public safety and the environment. |
|
March 12, 2012: BREDL opposes the US Dept. of Energy’s proposed expansion of plutonium reprocessing facilities either at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina or at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the proposed use of plutonium fuel at commercial electric power plants operated by TVA and other utilities.
|
Feb. 22, 2012: A new report by Joseph J. Mangano, MPH MBA finds that in the past decade levels of most types of radioactivity at the Savannah River Site are rising, as are rates of radiosensitive diseases. A new inquiry is needed to understand why these are occurring as cleanup continues at SRS. Mangano directs the Radiation and Public Health Project research group which has assembled epidemiological evidence of a probable causal link between low-level internal radiation from the ingestion of man-made fission products and world-wide increases in immune deficiency diseases and cancer.
|
|
Jan. 2011: Listen to radio spots regarding Savannah River Site |
|
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League released a
study in March 2007 which shows that harmful levels of air pollution
from the Savannah River Site are reaching nearby
communities. The group published its results in a report
titled Sow The Wind: Toxic Air Pollution from the
Savannah River Site. |
|
Nov. 6, 2007: Read
U.S. Dept. of Energy Document -
Chemical and Radiochemical Composition of Thermally Stabilized
Plutonium Oxide from the Plutonium Finishing Plant Considered as
Alternate Feedstock for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Facility, JM Tingey and SA Jones, July 2005, Prepared for the
U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830
|
|
Nov. 7, 2007: BREDL and Nuclear Watch South file intervenors' response.
|
|
Oct. 9, 2007: Today two organizations announced the filing of a legal challenge that could stop the construction of a plutonium fuel factory at the Savannah River Site. Nuclear Watch South and the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League uncovered information that the US Department of Energy plans major modifications to the proposed plutonium fuel factory. Read Press Release
|
|
Oct. 5, 2007 - In 2002 the US Department of Energy
discontinued its vitrification and immobilization plans for
surplus plutonium; on September 5, 2007, the agency issued an
Amended Record of Decision which said, "[e]liminating the
mission for the Plutonium Vitrification process would result in
the MFFF and H-Canyon processing additional plutonium, therefore
requiring some modifications to both facilities." Such
modification of the plutonium fuel factory (MFFF) was not
requested or granted during the construction license process nor
is it covered by the proposed operating license. This failure
forms the basis for our latest challenge. |
|
June 27, 2007 - The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
(BREDL), Nuclear Watch South, and Nuclear Information &
Resource Service (NIRS) have responded to the June 11, 2007 NRC
Staff and Shaw Areva MOX Services responses to the Groups'
Petition for Intervention and Request for Hearing filed on May
14, 2007.
|
|
On May 14, 2007 the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League,
along with Nuclear Watch South and Nuclear Information &
Resource Service, filed a petition to intervene in the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's license proceeding for a plutonium fuel
factory at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in
South Carolina. We have opposed this technology since 1997 and
remain steadfast in our opposition to nuclear reprocessing. |
|
How You Can Help
May 2, 2007: The Department of Energy plans to build a factory
near Aiken, SC to convert weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for
nuclear power plants. The mixed oxide fabrication facility (MFFF)
would be built at the Savannah River Site, the nuclear reactors
are located near Charlotte and Rock Hill. BREDL and other groups
oppose this experimental project. If you live within 50 miles of
the Savannah River Site, you would be affected. You can help stop
this threat to public health by signing the enclosed Declaration
and mailing it to us before May 14, 2007. |
|
April 20, 2007: BREDL comments
regarding Public Health Assessment, Evaluation of Off-site
Groundwater and Surface Water Contamination at the Savannah River
Site (USDOE) Aiken, SC. - The Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry has disregarded major pathways for hazardous and
radioactive substances from the US Department of Energy’s
Savannah River Site, improperly narrowed the focus of its
investigation to groundwater and surface water impacts at SRS,
and abrogated its responsibility to take responsive action by
shifting from itself the burden of protecting infants under the
age of one year.
|
|
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League opposes DOE’s
plan, called Complex 2030, which calls for a new generation
of nuclear weapons production, for which we believe the Savannah
River Site is at great risk. Complex 2030, developed
by the National Nuclear Security Administration, is a proposal to
construct new facilities to manufacture plutonium warheads, to
conduct nuclear weapons research and development, and
to store nuclear materials. On October 19, 2006 the US
Department of Energy published the Notice of Intent to Prepare
a Supplement to the Stockpile Stewardship Management Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement—Complex 2030 (Federal
Register vol. 71, no. 202, page 61731). The first public
meeting on Complex 2030 was held on November 9th
in North Augusta, South Carolina, near the Savannah River Site
bomb plant. Further meetings are being held near atomic
weapons sites in Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico and
California with a final hearing in Washington, DC on December 14,
2006. The written public comment period extends through
January 17, 2007. |
|
July 26, 2005: Read BREDL July 26, 2005 letter
to Jean Sulc, Chair, Savannah
River Site Citizens Advisory Board. Today citizens called
upon the Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board to
use its powers to bring an end to a pattern of delays and
waste at the old weapons plant near Aiken, SC. Citing
audits by the Department of Energy’s Inspector
General, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
detailed a ten year environmental cleanup gone wrong and
tens of millions of tax dollars wasted.
|
|
July 12, 2005: Read BREDL July 12, 2005 letter to Robert Meisenheimer, WM Committee Chair, Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board. On March 29th, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League informed the Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board that we believe that the Department of Energy provided falsified data to Congress, information which affected federal legislation for the ongoing clean up of atomic weapons waste at SRS. On May 23rd the League presented supporting data to the CAB. Subsequently, we were invited to present this information to the CAB's Waste Management Committee. On July 12th, we made four recommendations.
|
|
May 23, 2005: On behalf of
the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, I request to
present the information requested by members of the SRS
Citizens Advisory Board at the last meeting. As you may
recall, on March 28th I provided federal budget documents
which revealed that the $16 billion in savings promised
during passage of Section 3116 of the 2005 Defense
Authorization for clean up of high-level radioactive
waste tanks was not evident. Further, I said, “We at
BREDL are convinced that the DOE provided falsified data
to gain an exemption so it could add cement to the waste,
leave it underground, and reduce costs.” Some CAB
members took issue with this statement and I am here
today to provide documents which will demonstrate the
accuracy of our contention. - Lou Zeller, BREDL |
|
Mar. 28, 2005: Sunshine
Campaign Will Allow Public To Have Say - Today at a press
conference in North Augusta, grassroots citizens groups
announced a “Sunshine Campaign” to open up the
process of communication between the Department of
Energy, the SRS Citizens Advisory Board and the general
public. |
|
Feb. 10, 2005: Report by BREDL staffer Charles Utley regarding
the Savannah River Site Health Effects Subcommittee meeting of January 25th. It is a good overview
of the dose reconstruction issue caused by activities at
the bomb plant.
|
|
Nov. 30, 2004: BREDL Report
on Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board Meeting of
November 15-16, 2004, which was held in Augusta, GA.(includes dates for
upcoming 2005 meetings - Next meeting is scheduled for January 24-25,
2005 at Hilton Head Island, SC
|
|
Nov. 3, 2004: Project: Environmental
Pollution at Savannah River Weapons Site | Date of Project: September 4— 11, 2004 |
Host organizations: Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League, ISAR Open World Russia Civic Program |
Administered by: Open World Leadership Center at the
Library of Congress. Associated documents: Dmitri Rybakov’s scientific paper on testing for radionuclides English Version , Russian
Version |
Risk-Based End States at SRS factsheet: Radioactive
Pollution gets a Facelift. English
Version , Russian Version |
Combat Air Pollution with Bucket Brigades factsheet. English
Version , Russian Version
|
|
June 3, 2004: Map of High-Level Radioactive Wastes and
Aquifers in the Southeast featuring Savannah River Site
|
|
June 3, 2004: Map of Drinking Water information featuring
Savannah River Site
|
|
April 27, 2004: Read
Press Release and Lou Zeller Statement - Today
at a press conference at the United Nations, the Blue
Ridge Environmental Defense League charged the United
States with violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) and called for international inspections of
weapons facilities in South Carolina.
|
|
May 14, 2003: BREDL
additional comments on Savannah River Site Mixed Oxide
Fuel Fabrication Facility Draft Environmental Impact
Statement.
|
|
Dec. 06, 2002: BREDL additional comments, including letter from
Dr. Peter Rickards on the unreliability of HEPA filters
to control radionuclide emissions, on the draft Title V
permit for Savannah River Site.
|
|
Nov. 21, 2002: BREDL additional comments on the draft Title V
permit for the Savannah River Site. | BREDL flyer for Nov. 21,
2002 hearing
|
|
Oct. 29, 2002: BREDL comments on
Supplement to the Programmatic EIS on SSM for a Modern
Pit Facility at Savannah River Site. | Excerpts
from the testimony of Rev. Charles Utley, BREDL staff
and President of the Hyde and Aragon Park Neighborhood
Improvement Association at the DOE/NNSA Scoping Hearing
on Modern Pit Facility held in North Augusta, SC on
October 29, 2002.
|
|
Oct. 29, 2002: U.S. Dept. of Energy
Public Hearing on Supplemental PEIS re: Pit Facility at
SRS. Hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 pm in North
Augusta, SC. BREDL Factsheet with more details
|
|
Oct. 12, 2002: New
BREDL factsheet on Savannah River Site
|
|
Aug. 29, 2001: BREDL
letter to Dept. of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham
requesting information regarding the Department of
Energy’s (DOE) program for long-term storage of
plutonium and highly enriched uranium (HEU), and the
related transportation of non-pit plutonium, at
DOE’s Savannah River Site (SRS).
|
|
Aug. 29, 2001: A Report on the Plutonium (Pu) Situation,
Promise To "Delay" Made In Bad Faith - The
decision this week by the Department of Energy (DOE) to
"delay" plutonium shipments to the Savannah
River Site (SRS) involved several omissions of
information and was another act of bad faith by an Agency
with a long tradition of bending federal law and
misleading the public. Read Media
Advisory
|
|
May 24, 2001: BREDL May 17, 2001 letter requesting NRC
to hold hearing on Construction Authorization Request
(CAR) for a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication facility at
Savannah River Site in South Carolina. | BREDL
Press Release
|
|
April 16, 2001:
Today, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
(BREDL) released documents challenging the plutonium fuel
factory proposed for the Department of Energy’s
(DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South
Carolina. In a letter written to the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC), BREDL contends that the Duke
Cogema Stone and Webster (DCS) plutonium factory license
application is fatally flawed and should be rejected. The
group also contends that DOE must complete a supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement. read
BREDL Press Release
|
|
April 10, 2001 - Read GCE/BREDL Press
Release - Georgians for Clean Energy and the Blue
Ridge Environmental Defense League will sponsor an
informational Open House regarding the Department of
Energy's ongoing plans to construct and operate a
plutonium (MOX) fuel factory at the already heavily
polluted Savannah River Site, approximately 90 miles
upstream from Savannah. If built, the plutonium factory
will generate millions of gallons of liquid radioactive
waste and increase the potential of creating more
permanent nuclear weapons and power production missions
at SRS and the region. |
|
Jan. 10, 2001 - Today in a letter to US
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Bill Richardson, the
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) urged
immediate action to halt the plutonium fuel factory
project at the Savannah River Site. The group charged
that the recently released Environmental Report reveals
that the project’s Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) was incomplete and incorrect. BREDL
Press Release, BREDL letter to US
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Bill Richardson
|
|
Jan 4, 2000 - The
Department of Energy issues Record of Decision for
Surplus Plutonium Disposition at Savannah River Site.The
Department of Energy today announced its decision to
dispose of up to 50 metric tons of surplus plutonium from
the United States in a hybrid approach and to construct
and operate three new facilities at its Savannah River
Site (SRS).
|
|
MORE INFO: Southern
Anti-Plutonium Campaign
|
