News  

BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE
PO Box 88 ~ Glendale Springs, North Carolina 28629 ~ Phone (336) 982-2691 ~ Fax (336) 982-2954 ~ Email: BREDL@skybest.com

PRESS RELEASE


NEWS RELEASE
April 6, 2001

CONTACT:
Sara Barczak (912) 201-0354
Don Moniak (803) 644-6953


Community Groups to Sponsor Informational Open House
On Plutonium Fuel Factory Proposal for Savannah River Site

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.

The Open House will be held from:
4-8 p.m., April 12, 2001, at 3025 Bull Street, Savannah, GA.

The purpose of the Open House is to:

· Function as a preparation meeting to the April 18, 2001 Public "Scoping Meeting" being held by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Savannah at the Coastal Georgia Center, 305 MLK Blvd, from 7-10 PM. The NRC is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement in order to help decide whether the plutonium fuel factory should be constructed;
· Prepare citizens for the possible use of the controversial roundtable format that the NRC has dictated for public comment at this meeting;
· Assist people with understanding Nuclear Regulatory Commission jargon;
· Serve as a medium for forwarding questions to the NRC and Department of
Energy;
· Provide information about plutonium plans at SRS and the latest radioactive threat to the Savannah River;
· Provide opportunities to comment for those unable to attend the NRC meeting.

"The proposed plutonium fuel program will create new plutonium processing in the Savannah River region where we're already faced with unsafe contamination from past and current operations," said Sara Barczak, Safe Energy Director in Georgians for Clean Energy's Savannah office.  "We want to help citizens voice their legitimate concerns to a government agency that has too often ignored downstream and downwind communities."

"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission can take a heavy handed approach to public participation and tends to devalue people's opinions. Our intent is to provide a forum where people can learn and speak more openly," said Don Moniak, Community Organizer of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.

Georgians for Clean Energy
Savannah Office:
3025 Bull Street, Suite 101, Savannah, GA  31405
(phone & fax) 912-201-0354

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
www.BREDL.org
South Carolina Office
PO Box 3487
Aiken, SC 29802
(803) 644-6953  

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