Tate Zeigler (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON – In 2004, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) passed a provision through the U.S. Senate allowing the Department of Energy to proceed with accelerated cleanup of tanks at Savannah River Site (SRS) that previously held radioactive liquid waste from nuclear weapons production.

 

Today, the Department of Energy announced the accelerated cleanup process is nearly complete on two tanks at the Site (Tanks 18 & 19) and they have begun the process of closing the underground storage tanks.  When completed these closures will be the first DOE tanks closed at the Site in 15 years and some of the largest underground storage tanks ever closed by DOE.

 

Graham said:

 

“This is a great milestone for the Site and DOE.  Eight years ago, I authored a provision in the United States Senate permitting DOE to clean and close forty, one-million gallon tanks at the Site.  The measure passed by a single vote and was later signed into law by President Bush.

 

“Today, we reach the end of the long and winding road.  The first two tanks are now clean and in the process of being permanently closed.  It was a decision that was good for our environment and good for the taxpayer, saving billions.  Today we celebrate a significant accomplishment and one that was a long time in the making.”

 

#####